I replaced all four corners with Autozone rotors and pads, and everything seemed fine. Now there seems to be a problem with the left rear. After only driving to work on suburban roads with "normal" braking, I can smell the left rear brake, and the rotor is too hot to touch, it is absolutely scalding hot. The other three rotors are just "warm", and can be easily touched. Everything feels normal, pedal feel, no pulling, no pulsations, no lock up. The tire spins freely when jacked. Some sort of problem with the brake bias? Is the bias computer controlled or mechanical?

 

Sounds like the very common "seized caliper" on the 3g tl's. Look around on the forum and you'll see it's happened to multiple other people as well.

 

Happened to my MR2. Seized rear caliper.

 

Did the caliper piston move in easily?
If so, check the caliper sliders to make certain they move easily in/out.
After driving, wear gloves and remove hot caliper, then try and push in the caliper piston. If it goes in easily, check sliders, if hard, undo bleeder and try again. If it goes in, replace brake line.

 

I just rebuilt both of my rear caliper for the same reason, it doesn't spit out too much dust since I wash the car like weekly but dealer told me the rear is near. I replaced all four back in 2012 at 66k miles and the front one should be going first but the rear pads wear out first? strange. I remember my car from northern and its too common for sticky caliper so I just rebuilt it.

 

Yup, was a seized caliper piston. All good now. Would pushing the piston back in when replacing pads, then cause it to seize, when it tries to go "out" again?

 

No-If it went easily it wasn't a sticky piston.

 

when you push the piston in it should be push with ease not with forces, once you have to put muscle into it then you know its seized.

 

Did you check the condition of the brake shoes? Those are independent from the brake pads since they only engage when the handbrake is set. They'll make a grinding noise when you hit the brakes if they're out of adjustment or badly worn out or rusted out.

 

I doubt it is the parking brake issue.

 

it just happened to me two weeks ago. The rear left caliper went bad and it's a common problem for the 3G. Replaced it with Frenco reman and it works ok now. i should've gone with OEM to avoid any squeaky noise.