Car making strange noise when braking

dawnster95

Hi,

wondering if anyone can help, I've just noticed a sort of grinding noise when I brake and not sure what it is. I'm assuming its some part of my brakes and something is catching, but I only had my car serviced and MOTd on Wednesday, if it was my brakes surely they would have picked up on a problem?

Thanks

Pssst

Mot just measures braking efficiency. It is hoped they would pick up badly worn disc pads but who knows? Sounds like metal to metal contact to me.

southernscouser

I'm not expert but it sounds like the pads are worn and is coming into contact with the discs.

If this is the case the disks will become warped and will need to be replaced aswell.

Silk

Hi Dawnster,
It does sound as if it is metal to metal on the pads although it most certainly should have been picked up on the service. You should take it back to the garage who serviced it and ask them what the score is asap

Bowdyjan18

Stone caught between the disc and pad ?

Inactive

Bowdyjan18 wrote: »

Stone caught between the disc and pad ?

That thought crossed my mind as well.;)

anewman

But brake pads are usually kept so close to the disc that there's little room for a stone to get in, I guess it could be possible if the pads have chamfered edges but would expect reversing to get rid of it.

Pads are usually pretty easy to check, remove the wheel and there's usually a window on the front of the caliper to view the amount of material left (taking care not to mistake the backing part of the pad for this). While there feel from the inside of the disc to the outside. There will be some noticeable scoring, but this should not be excessive, and there should also be no excessive lip on the outside of the disc (couple of mm).

This should have been done as part of the service though and places doing the services like to make their money from replacing discs and pads where needed.

Is the noise a "squeal" more than a grinding?

Bowdyjan18

anewman wrote: »

But brake pads are usually kept so close to the disc that there's little room for a stone to get in, I guess it could be possible if the pads have chamfered edges but would expect reversing to get rid of it.

Seen it happen a few times

asbokid

dawnster95 wrote: »

Hi,

wondering if anyone can help, I've just noticed a sort of grinding noise when I brake and not sure what it is. I'm assuming its some part of my brakes and something is catching, but I only had my car serviced and MOTd on Wednesday, if it was my brakes surely they would have picked up on a problem?

Thanks

What car is it? Sometimes the brake pads have metal wear indicators.. The idea is that when the pads are getting low, the wear indicators rub on the discs and this makes a scraping sound to give you an early warning of the problem.

In theory, it was a good idea but in practice it is rubbish.. the wear indicators often get bent and start to rub on the disc long before the pads actually need changing.

Don't take that as a green light for ignoring the noise though!

If you feel competent, take a look yourself..

chock, lift and support the car, remove the roadwheel. examine the suspect brake caliper.. if it's a rear brake and FWD, put the car in gear before releasing the handbrake. Manually rotate the hub and listen and inspect to locate where the noise is coming from.

Anti-rattle springs at the top
Wear indicators below

Chippy_Minton_2

Does it go away after repeated use of the brakes?

Have you washed the car or got the discs wet?

If so may be surface rust on the discs.

jeannieblue

Chippy_Minton wrote: »

Does it go away after repeated use of the brakes?

Have you washed the car or got the discs wet?

If so may be surface rust on the discs.

But then if that is the case - poor servicing. Good garages would clean up the brakes on a service.