Shudder in steering wheel when braking (2015 Taco, 27,000 miles)

Lately, going 50 mph I step on the brakes and my steering wheel shudders. I pulled off one front wheel and the rotor looks good -- no grooves. The pads look good, too -- thick. Then I notice a crack in one pad -- see photos. What's going on? Anybody want to chime in?

EDIT: Thanks for the replies, guys. I will take into service at Toyota and report back. Meanwhile, I've uploaded photos of the rotor for your viewing pleasure. See the straight edge placed strategically across the rotor where the brake pads meet it. There's no gap showing warping, but this isn't scientific proof it isn't warped. I'll get back to you after a pro looks at it.

Update: I took my truck to Toyota/Cathedral City, Calif., and they determined the rotors were warped. They resurfaced my front rotors and replaced the front brake pads -- under warranty! OMG. What a great service department. They even washed my truck inside and out. Also, they adjusted the PSI in all four tires so my idiot indicating uneven tire pressure went out, finally. They spent hours on my truck, and made Toyota pay for it, not me. Gotta love it.

 

You probably got the rotors hot, and they warped a bit. Happens a lot. Hard to tell from looking at them.

 

Looks like both pads are cracked. May, or may not, be source of vibration. Either way, the vibration should be covered under warranty. Our Lexus had vibration at 30K and Toyota replaced rotors and pads.

 

I did a quick google and I don't think the cracking is critical. Cracking was listed as indication of thermal stress. It may be the cause of noise.

But as others said you may have warper rotor or sticking piston causing the actual issue

 

The same thermal stress that cracked the pads likely also warped the rotors.

 

Mine does this........all I do is hit the brakes hard at speed and it it reduces the vibration until I drive through town, then the vib comes back.
others here have talked about this issue and most agree it is rotor warpage/pad material
. I am not surprised as the rotors are probably built in China and the tempering is probably less than ideal let alone the steel alloy is probably not as good as it should be.

I look at brakes like I do bearings......US steel, German Steel, Japanese Steel good to go.....Korean steel is getting better.....

 

The problem is that China has both the best and the worst quality steel in the world. Some of their plants rival the best in Germany. Other plants are not far off from that Primitve Tech channel on YouTube. The only real way to tell is to look at the company sourcing the materials from a Chinesse supplier and their QAQC program. I would trust Brembo rotors from China, but probably not off brand autozone stuff.

 

It is also where the steel comes from, as an example, Sprocket Specialist sources the steel from Japan in raw form, Brembo from China is most likely German sourced steel or even US steel.

Which means the smelting and heat treating is done right the first time. Unless the Chinese factories are scrutinized every day, the international products are less than ideal........the stuff they build for their own domestic market........fairly good quality....even if it is copied.

I think the Toyo brakes also transfer lots of heat which will warp any rotor.......at least they aint F-150's

 

F150s have some garbage rotors. So do Honda pilots

 

Even if you replace the rotors, rebuild the calipers and put the best pads in, the stupid truck still warps rotors and drags pads........garbage.

 

That's interesting to know. With the truck on a jack stand, there did seem to be friction when turning the wheel. That could explain the excess heat that could cause the brake pad to crack, as in the photo. Japan, WTF?

 

I'm in the same boat with 38k. I'm easy on the brakes and really don't haul or tow much. I'm also religious about using a torque wrench to set the lugs to 83 ft lbs.

I'm going with these.

 

Just happened to me at 37 k. Put on power stop rotors and has been cured. I think this pretty common on these trucks. ( Warped rotor)

 

OP here: I talked with the service guy at Toyota, and he said bring it in. He would "try" to fix the problem under warranty. I'd like to have EBC aftermarket rotors, and I have so much meat on my brake pads that's probably all I need, but now I have this carrot being held out in front of me by the service tech. Maybe they will fix it for free -- just maybe, and I'll never know unless I have the dealership look at it, and once they do, there's my truck on the lift and I already owe them $150 just for looking at it. There's no right answer here.

 

That is a good option, with the right service manager and advisor you can get nearly anything covered even outside of normal warranty.

ask your mechanic pal if he knows when the new fiscal year starts for toyota warranty......the is the BEST time to try this as they are flush with cash for payouts. near the end of the fiscal year they get tight fisted.

 

If they replace the rotors....you might as well let them. But if they're just going to turn them....I'd pass. They'll just warp again...even quicker since they're thinner.

I think I'm going with the EBC Ultimax rotors. Should be plenty for my stock rig

 

You are still under warranty,take the truck in and have Toyota replace all of the front rotors and pads.

 

i doubt toyota will pay for pads and rotors because they are a wear item. read your warranty information booklet

 

27,000 miles,I would take it back and bitch.

 

Wow just saw this thread was having the same problem with my 12 .Yesterday got new rotors put on hope it goes away I'm driving 200 miles today so well see