08 Highlander popping noise when backing up

[Robert S]

hey guys my wife has a 08 Highlander limited we bought a few months ago. I just noticed that every time i put it in reverse as soon as i start to back up i hear a popping noise from the front end sounds like it come from both left and right. My friend says his Pilot does this and he read that it has something to do with the abs and the brake pads releasing? Have you guys heard anything like this?

thanks!!

[sweeneyp]

mine will pop in R or D if i barely release enough pressure from the brakes and give it a little gas, to the point where the pads first slip and then release. but its only once every time I do release the brakes like that, under normal acceleration/releasing the brakes it won't do it.

[TrailDust]

You might find this past thread worthy of reading too, as it generally discusses the same issue. Mine does the same thing, but only under the condition that I'm reversing up a slight incline, which is each and every time I reverse up my driveway and into the garage. It's a small pop, and I've always figured it's associated with the suspension, maybe the main springs, but I never investigated it further.

[luck123]

I had this same noise on my previous 2 Subarus and have it on my HL as well. It usually occurs when I back my car out of the garage or after I have washed it and let it sit. According to the head mechanic at my former Subaru dealership (very knowledgeable guy), this occurs for two reasons: first, if you have been driving in wet weather or washed your car and let your car sit, a small film of rust forms on the surface of the rotors which causes the pads to stick slightly. The pop is the pads "unsticking" from the rotors when you move the vehicle. I get this all the time after washing. The other is movement of the pads in their guides. For example, when I park my car in my garage, the pads are going to be seated in the forward or up position (depending on the positioning of your calipers) due to the rotation of the tire. When I reverse out of the garage, the the rotation changes and the pads slide back/down and create a small pop, or I would actually describe it more as a click. I don't normally hear anything when I put it in drive and drive away....usually just that one time in reverse. Seems to happen more when my car has been sitting.

All that to say that presuming what you are hearing is what I have described, it is perfectly normal.

Cheers.

[GregC6]

my dealer said it is pad slap and it is normal

[TrailDust]

Originally Posted by luck123

I had this same noise on my previous 2 Subarus and have it on my HL as well. It usually occurs when I back my car out of the garage or after I have washed it and let it sit. According to the head mechanic at my former Subaru dealership (very knowledgeable guy), this occurs for two reasons: first, if you have been driving in wet weather or washed your car and let your car sit, a small film of rust forms on the surface of the rotors which causes the pads to stick slightly. The pop is the pads "unsticking" from the rotors when you move the vehicle. I get this all the time after washing. The other is movement of the pads in their guides. For example, when I park my car in my garage, the pads are going to be seated in the forward or up position (depending on the positioning of your calipers) due to the rotation of the tire. When I reverse out of the garage, the the rotation changes and the pads slide back/down and create a small pop, or I would actually describe it more as a click. I don't normally hear anything when I put it in drive and drive away....usually just that one time in reverse. Seems to happen more when my car has been sitting.

All that to say that presuming what you are hearing is what I have described, it is perfectly normal.

Cheers.

I understand what you're describing, but the "bang" the OP mentioned and I experience too is definitely from the suspension. This happens after I've been driving and arrive at home, then back up into my garage on a slight incline.

Based on the recommendation of my close friend who owns a tire and brake store, I always heat up my brakes after a rain or after a washing but before parking it in the garage in order to prevent the rust and pad sticking that you mentioned, which eliminates that issue for me.

[mccartsj]

I recently noticed my 09 HL AWD Sport producing this same noise when engaging the brakes when in reverse. I asked the tech and service adviser at the dealer and he explained that it was pad shift and it was standard on all models. My guess is that it gets louder as pads wear because the distance that they travel increases.