2004 Echo HB rusted rotors

It is not VERY odd that brake rotors get rusty in environments where lots of salt is used, although it is less of a problem now than it was in the past.

Technical Service Bulletin BR006-04, issued 9/10/2004 describes rust on Echo front rotors. The TSB recommends replacing pads and rotors as a set.

Issuance of a TSB does not mean that the work will be done for free. Is your car still covered by the original warranty? If so, then you may be able to have the replacements covered by warranty, or you can do the work yourself in about an hour.

SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS?!?!?!

Holy Crap! Even converted to American dollars, that is a LOT!!!

I'm with Hachi here; seems like an awfully expensive repair for just fronts.

I'd get a second opinion, especially on the price, and as Ray O points out, there's not necessarily any help from Toyota coming on this but it won't hurt to ask, so a trip to the Toyota dealer makes sense.

I strongly recommend you check around. I took my Rav to a brake-and-muffler chain, was horrified by the cost of work they recommended, so took it to a good independent general mechanic who did the same work for much less.

If the OP wants to replace both front pads and rotors himself, he can probably do the job with OEM pads and rotors for somewhere in the vicinity of $200 U.S. If he is a gambler who is willing to put up with noise, extra brake dust, short brake life, and/or diminished stopping ability, he can use aftermarket parts, probably around $120.

Maybe I'm dense, but how would rotors become rusty, since they're constantly being scraped by the pads? I agree that the outside edge would become rusty, but since that's not the operative part of the rotor, who cares? If they're ridged, of course, turn them if there's enough width to allow it, but rust?.....I'd want the shop to show me how rusty they are, and tell me how this affects their performance.

I have not seen the rust condition on Echos, but I've seen rust form pits and depressions on the friction surface of the rotor, and then, like the rust on a car's body, the rust gets underneath the surface of the rotor and pushes out big divots. Those divots flake off and cause vibrations like a warped rotor when braking.

there's not necessarily any help from Toyota coming

brake-and-muffler chain, was horrified by the cost of work they

same work for much less.

probably do the job with OEM pads and rotors for somewhere

with noise, extra brake dust, short brake life, and/or

being scraped by the pads? I agree that the outside

rotor, who cares?

but rust?.....I'd want the shop to show me how rusty

depressions on the friction surface of the rotor,

of the rotor and pushes out big divots. Those

I'm curious if that could happen to brake rotors on cars that are driven on a regular basis? Or even just a couple times a month?

Thanks Dan

Some early 1980's Tercels that were operated in northern VT and NH were prone to rusty rotors, and I could not discern any common pattern among the vehicle usage other than there were driven mostly in the northern parts of those states in hilly terrain. Other parts of my district, like southern NH in Wickeddoll's old stomping grounds and western MA in Hachi's current stomping grounds did not have the problem to the same extent as the northern parts of my district. Even vehicles that saw daily use would get rusty rotors, from the inside-out. The surface of the rotor would bubble just like the paint on a rusting body part. I have not seen that problem since the mid 1980's and I don't know if the OP's Echo is experiencing the same condition or not.

depressions on the friction surface of the rotor,

surface of the rotor and pushes out big divots. Those

to rusty rotors, and I could not discern any common

northern parts of those states in hilly terrain. Other

and western MA in Hachi's current stomping grounds did

Even vehicles that saw daily use would get rusty

the paint on a rusting body part. I have not seen

experiencing the same condition or not.

Thanks Ray.

I would have never guessed Toyota ever put plated (steel maybe) rotors on any model. Assuming that is what they were anyway.

Interesting exotic brake link:

I don't think those rotors were plated, although the way the rotors bubbled, I thought so. Something about the casting process was explained to me in Japanese by a product engineer in a bar in VT, and the reason they bubbled like plated rotors kind of escapes me :-)