Squeeky Electric Window And Spongy Brake Pedal

[Galad]

When it rains the driver's side window on my 2007 Avensis T3x makes a squeeky noise going down and up and I'm fairly sure it's the glass passing over the rubber window seal. It's the same sound as a squeeky wiper blade on a windscreen. Only happens when it rains, on dry days no noise at all. None of the other windows are affected. Have tried a squirt of WD40 inside the rubber seals but no lasting effect. Is there anything else I can treat the glass or rubber with?

Also, I bought the car with just 5k on the clock in November 2008 (1st registered in July 07) from a Toyota main dealer. The brake pedal is very spongy and needs a 'double' press with my right foot for it to feel 'hard'. The car will stop okay it's just a bit unnerving especially in slow moving traffic. It's been suggested that there may be air in the system and that a full bleed and change of fluid could rectify this. If this is the case is it wise to get the dealer to do the work or can I ask an independent brake specialist for half the price?

I love the car but the niggles are distracting.

Cheers

[revband]

Hi

It sounds as if you may have a bit of grit etc stuck on the window seal. put the window all the way down and give the seal a good clean.

The brakes can be attended to by any good garage.

[Duffryn]

My car's brakes feel exactly the same. Car's been taken back to the supplying Toyota dealership, and also to another Toyota dealer for both to inspect the braking system, and both have reported that there's no problem with the brakes. So I have accepted that I'll just have to get on with it as they are. Still find it disconcerting though, as you say.

[Beagh1958]

To Galad,

I would be somewhat dubious about driving a car that requires brake pedal to be pumped to firm up the peddle. You have a number of possibilities that may cause this to happpen (MAY BEING THE OPERATIVE WORD) air in the system being the most obvious, faulty master cylinder, brake fluid leak, or a possibility off a faulty brake hose. Faulty brake hose will require a friend to hold pedal down hard whilst you check for any signs of damage to hose ie: hose bulging or obvious signs of breaks in hose showing in core. On the other side you may have a vacum assist problem, vacum pump faulty or broken/loose vacum pipes, but these would more likely cause a very firm pedal.

I would most certainly be returning car back to Toyota for further inspection or your nearest garage with a good reputation, it is most certainly not normal to have to pump your brakes to obtain firm pedal. Sorry cannot really help with window, only to say as other posting points out that you might have something lodged between weather strip & window glass.

Regards, Beagh.

PS: Not a good idea to use WD40 on rubber as the chemicals in it attack the rubber over along period. Old trick we learnt at Cowley training courses was to

use Talcum powder on belts, but only for new belts. If you have old belt, bin it & renew it.

[Duffryn]

Yes, perhaps it would be a good idea to take the car to a reputable independent garage, but as it's still under warranty I'm rather reluctant to do that. As more than one of us (and I think an earlier thread revealed more concern about Avensis brakes) then perhaps there is an inherent design problem, allbeit not one that necessarily compromises safety as the brakes do actually work.

Surely two Toyota dealers in two separate towns can't simply miss something wrong..............Can they??

[Beagh1958]

To Duffryn,

In reply to your posting with same problem as "Galad" i can see nothing normal in having to pump your brake pedal to make them work & any mechanic worth his salt will tell you this, including baby faced apprentices. This cannot be pushed to one side as a characteristic of the car. In both your shoes i would accompany roadtester & defy him to tell you this is normal to pump brake pedal to produce effective brakes. This is not normal for the Avensis & if problem is as described then both your cars need to go back to Toyota.

Good luck, Beagh.

PS: If you have AA or RAC cover can you not have brakes inspected & a report of any possible fault found set out in writing for you.

[s m smith]

When it rains the driver's side window on my 2007 Avensis T3x makes a squeeky noise going down and up and I'm fairly sure it's the glass passing over the rubber window seal. It's the same sound as a squeeky wiper blade on a windscreen. Only happens when it rains, on dry days no noise at all. None of the other windows are affected. Have tried a squirt of WD40 inside the rubber seals but no lasting effect. Is there anything else I can treat the glass or rubber with?

Also, I bought the car with just 5k on the clock in November 2008 (1st registered in July 07) from a Toyota main dealer. The brake pedal is very spongy and needs a 'double' press with my right foot for it to feel 'hard'. The car will stop okay it's just a bit unnerving especially in slow moving traffic. It's been suggested that there may be air in the system and that a full bleed and change of fluid could rectify this. If this is the case is it wise to get the dealer to do the work or can I ask an independent brake specialist for half the price?

I love the car but the niggles are distracting.

Cheers

get a toyota dealer to look at both faults, the brakes will be covered under the warranty, if the car is a 2007?

[Galad]

When it rains the driver's side window on my 2007 Avensis T3x makes a squeeky noise going down and up and I'm fairly sure it's the glass passing over the rubber window seal. It's the same sound as a squeeky wiper blade on a windscreen. Only happens when it rains, on dry days no noise at all. None of the other windows are affected. Have tried a squirt of WD40 inside the rubber seals but no lasting effect. Is there anything else I can treat the glass or rubber with?

Also, I bought the car with just 5k on the clock in November 2008 (1st registered in July 07) from a Toyota main dealer. The brake pedal is very spongy and needs a 'double' press with my right foot for it to feel 'hard'. The car will stop okay it's just a bit unnerving especially in slow moving traffic. It's been suggested that there may be air in the system and that a full bleed and change of fluid could rectify this. If this is the case is it wise to get the dealer to do the work or can I ask an independent brake specialist for half the price?

I love the car but the niggles are distracting.

Cheers

get a toyota dealer to look at both faults, the brakes will be covered under the warranty, if the car is a 2007?

[Galad]

Thnaks for all the advice everyone. Will follow up.

[Neil Barker]

I've got exactly the same issue with the brake pedal on my 2.2D4D TR. I'm told it's "normal" for the diesel engined ones, but I just don't accept this - there is a noticeable difference in pedal feel if it's depressed twice in quick succession and feels so much firmer. At my next 20K service in another few months, I'll be raising this again.

[Galad]

I've got exactly the same issue with the brake pedal on my 2.2D4D TR. I'm told it's "normal" for the diesel engined ones, but I just don't accept this - there is a noticeable difference in pedal feel if it's depressed twice in quick succession and feels so much firmer. At my next 20K service in another few months, I'll be raising this again.

This is what I've learned to do on my Avensis - on the second squeeze of the pedal it firms up noticeably and feels more like a normal brake pedal. This can't be dismissed as 'a normal characteristic' of the Avensis surely? I'm convinced there's air in the system. SWMBO refuses to drive the car because the brakes scare her.

[moonstone mart]

I've got exactly the same issue with the brake pedal on my 2.2D4D TR. I'm told it's "normal" for the diesel engined ones, but I just don't accept this - there is a noticeable difference in pedal feel if it's depressed twice in quick succession and feels so much firmer. At my next 20K service in another few months, I'll be raising this again.

This is what I've learned to do on my Avensis - on the second squeeze of the pedal it firms up noticeably and feels more like a normal brake pedal. This can't be dismissed as 'a normal characteristic' of the Avensis surely? I'm convinced there's air in the system. SWMBO refuses to drive the car because the brakes scare her.

Diesel engined brake pedals are like this, if you sit with the engine running and press the pedal it will gradually drop down too.

Normal i say - every one i have driven has done it and the brakes work fine.

Mart.