Light Rust or Grime on Brake Pads ?

[YodaBird]

Hi, my 2012 Yaris is roughly (3) months old, I recently noticed on the front brake pads, especially between the brake pads, what appears to be rust. The front brake pads have it too, because I could reach the front pads, I was able to wipe it off with a paper towel. How do I clean the rust that is visible between the two front brake pads, my solution is to blast it with water ?

[WeeYari]

What ?!?!?

[YodaBird]

It's not cause I have to park outside is it ? I want to clean the brakes, so I don't see that, for a new car, arghh.

[WeeYari]

Still don't understand what you are talking about.

Is it rust on the rotors that you are referring to? If it is, then the answer is live with it. It happens when a car sits in a moist environment. They can begin to rust in a matter or hours. Clean right up again as soon as the car is moving and the brakes get applied.

If you are not referring to your rotors, then try to clarify more. Pictures would help.

[Viperoni]

LIke WeeYari said, if you're talking about the rotors, either deal with it, or brake harder. That'll burn off the rust.

[OTA'sTOY]

and like magic it reappear the next day

[YodaBird]

Originally Posted by WeeYari

Still don't understand what you are talking about.

Is it rust on the rotors that you are referring to? If it is, then the answer is live with it. It happens when a car sits in a moist environment. They can begin to rust in a matter or hours. Clean right up again as soon as the car is moving and the brakes get applied.

If you are not referring to your rotors, then try to clarify more. Pictures would help.

What do you mean clean right up again ? If I brake hard all the time, I risk wearing down or causing another problem, and I use more gas. Isn't there anything that I can spray on the brakes ? It is on the rotating discs, it is between the two pads, the actual brake part, doesn't have rust, yet. Theres gotta be something to clean it off, if I take a paper towel to the exterior of the brake, it comes off, but I can't reach between the pads (discs). I assume it's in the early stages. It's how to clean it off. If you don't understand, I'll have to take a picture in a day or two.

[Viperoni]

Originally Posted by YodaBird

What do you mean clean right up again ? If I brake hard all the time, I risk wearing down or causing another problem, and I use more gas. Isn't there anything that I can spray on the brakes ? It is on the rotating discs, it is between the two pads, the actual brake part, doesn't have rust, yet. Theres gotta be something to clean it off, if I take a paper towel to the exterior of the brake, it comes off, but I can't reach between the pads (discs). I assume it's in the early stages. It's how to clean it off. If you don't understand, I'll have to take a picture in a day or two.

Rust normally builds up on all metal parts, rotors can easily get rusty overnight, especially if it rains.

If you've got a chronic amount of rust that doesn't go away, it either indicates you're not using the brakes enough to burn off the rust, or there's an issue with the brake itself, causing one or both pads to not contact the rotor.

Since it's a 2012, it's very unlikely that there's any issue with the brakes. Brake a little harder and the rust will get worn off.
A paper towel won't get the rust off that's on the part of the rotor that's inbetween the pads, and it also won't clean off the rust that's on the pads themselves.


A lot of people are scared to drive their cars "hard", but the engine and brakes benefit from it every so often.

Finally, an additional commentary, a lot of "lightly driven" cars that have rear disc brakes have issues with the rear brakes seizing up due to a lack of heat, which never ends up burning off condensation and rust from the various brake components.

[clarenceie]

If you are talking about the brake surface, where the pad touches the disc, it should go away with driving. If it's really bad and can't go away, you might consider resurfacing the rotors.

However, I think you may have meant this... if you are talking about the rotor where the pads doesn't necessarily touch, like the hub or outer diameter of the disc, you may paint it to prevent corrosion. The corrosion won't hurt you, just aesthetics.

[Altitude]

If it comes off with a simple wipe of a paper towel it might just be brake dust.

[walt101786]

It's most likely the moist in the air at night that causes ur rotors to be rusty...if u see rust here and there or spotted rust...then u should be fine, while u drive during the day it'll burn right off...it happens to me all the times especially when I wash my car....but as soon as I took it a drive the rust will go away

[bronsin]

Can you post a picture?

My immediate reaction is there is nothing to worry about. You have a tempest in a teapot here.

[walt101786]

i would do what bronsin had said...take a few pictures of how it looks and post it on...but like we all say here...there's nothing u should be worry bout...

[MadMax]

It's nothing to worry about, your rotors are bare metal and a little surface rust will happen when they get wet. In extreme conditions, your brakes can even "lock up" a little requiring a bit of forward movement to break free (this used to happen to my Passat in Belgium). But for the most part, they will clear up as soon as you use your brakes.

I travel a lot for work and if we get any rain while I am gone, my brakes usually are covered in surface rust when I get back. I just returned from being gone a week, and this is what mine look like...



It's nothing to worry about, it'll clear after a mile or so of driving and there is no advantage to trying to clean it off beforehand...

Cheers! M2

[YodaBird]

Originally Posted by MadMax

It's nothing to worry about, your rotors are bare metal and a little surface rust will happen when they get wet. In extreme conditions, your brakes can even "lock up" a little requiring a bit of forward movement to break free (this used to happen to my Passat in Belgium). But for the most part, they will clear up as soon as you use your brakes.

I travel a lot for work and if we get any rain while I am gone, my brakes usually are covered in surface rust when I get back. I just returned from being gone a week, and this is what mine look like...



It's nothing to worry about, it'll clear after a mile or so of driving and there is no advantage to trying to clean it off beforehand...

Cheers! M2

The rust isn't on the pads where it brakes, it's in-between and around the edges, there isn't any way to clean this off, no chemical you can spray on and after driving a little it comes off ?

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by YodaBird

The rust isn't on the pads where it brakes, it's in-between and around the edges, there isn't any way to clean this off, no chemical you can spray on and after driving a little it comes off ?

Every car with disc brakes has rust like this.

Dont be concerned.