Car question for the weekend mechanics

[udpolo15]

I have 2004 Honda Accord with about 65,000 miles on it. The other day I started hearing a metal grinding sound coming from the front passenger tire area. It goes away after driving for a few minutes, but comes back if I let the car sit around for a little. It also stops while I press the brakes, even slightly.

Any ideas? I am taking it in on Monday, but would like to have an idea what the deal is. Thanks.

 

[Supe]

How long of sitting around? Your rotors could be flash rusting and you're hearing it scraping against the pads. It could also be a brake caliper hanging up slightly.

 

[udpolo15]

How long of sitting around?

30+minutes. A friend suggest the rusting, but was surprised it would happen again so quickly.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Road Guy]

one time on an old Ford EXP I had a similar sound and it was a joint that holds the front axle to the wheel / tire. Not a U-Joint but some type of joint...

 

[Flyer_PE]

^CV (constant velocity) maybe?

 

[Road Guy]

that was it, CV joint..

 

[OSUguy98]

I'd check the boots around the CV joint and the U-joint.... but I'd say rusting of the rotors would be most likely.... but I'm not a mechanic either

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Ford EXP...now there's a blast from the past. Haven't seen on in, gosh, probably since 96 or so.

 

[jeb6294]

That was my first car...it's been long enough that I can't even remember what year it was. Looked a lot like this:

Being the stupid kid that I was, when given a choice over that or a 'rodded '48 Ford in primer I decided I wanted the shiny red one?!?! :smileyballs:

 

[DVINNY]

AWESOME,

I had an '82 MERCURY LN7, it was a 'high class' EXP

 

[NCcarguy]

did you find out yet? My guess is either a caliper sticking, or just the pads being glassed over a bit. If you're too hard on your brakes, the pads will glass over, and cause that screeching sound. You can actually take the pads off and sand them to get them a bit rough, and they'll work like they're supposed to.

 

[udpolo15]

Just brought it in today, I'll let you know what I find out.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

That was my first car...it's been long enough that I can't even remember what year it was. Looked a lot like this:

Being the stupid kid that I was, when given a choice over that or a 'rodded '48 Ford in primer I decided I wanted the shiny red one?!?! :smileyballs:

AWESOME,
I had an '82 MERCURY LN7, it was a 'high class' EXP

When I moved back to Columbia, there was a used car lot with about seven of them, but none were for sale. The owner 'collected' them, saying they were cheap to buy and easy/cheap to fix. So cheap that if it broke in a major way, he'd unscrew the tags and walk away.

 

[udpolo15]

Just brought it in today, I'll let you know what I find out.

It was the brakes. The front brakes were about 100% gone.

 

[Supe]

Kind of weird that it went away when you hit the brakes. That's usually when they'll make the noise.

 

[Kephart P.E.]

On worn brake pads once you get down to the rivets on the pads and you apply more pressure they quiet down mostly because they cannot vibrate with the caliper clamping down so hard.

Of course this comes with the downside of totally eating away at your calipers.

 

[Dexman PE]

Kind of weird that it went away when you hit the brakes. That's usually when they'll make the noise.

My brakes did the same thing when the fronts went out. They would have a constant scrape when driving, but would go away when the brakes were pressed. Needless to say, I had to replace the rotors with that one...

 

[snickerd3]

how bad is the cost of replacing break pads now adays? i am about 7-8k miles away from a major preventative maintance auto shop bill. Think they'll give discount for multi-item bill? I'm talking brake inspection, front end alignment, trannie flush, new spark plugs, new cabin filter, probably radiator flush too. Need to check the manual for recommended schedule on that one.

 

[udpolo15]

did you find out yet? My guess is either a caliper sticking, or just the pads being glassed over a bit. If you're too hard on your brakes, the pads will glass over, and cause that screeching sound. You can actually take the pads off and sand them to get them a bit rough, and they'll work like they're supposed to.

I may have spoken prematurely. Picked the car up and didn't hear anything. Went on an errand later and started to hear the sound again. The sound has changed, more muted and not as metallic. I had the pad and rotors replaced. Without any basis, wondering if my brakes stick and stay slightly engaged. That might explain the more metallic and piercing sound when my pad were gone and more muted with new pads. Bringing it back in the AM.

 

[humner]

This is why I do almost all my own car servicing. Sometimes when you take your car to get serviced, they may have a newbie working on it.

did you find out yet? My guess is either a caliper sticking, or just the pads being glassed over a bit. If you're too hard on your brakes, the pads will glass over, and cause that screeching sound. You can actually take the pads off and sand them to get them a bit rough, and they'll work like they're supposed to.

I may have spoken prematurely. Picked the car up and didn't hear anything. Went on an errand later and started to hear the sound again. The sound has changed, more muted and not as metallic. I had the pad and rotors replaced. Without any basis, wondering if my brakes stick and stay slightly engaged. That might explain the more metallic and piercing sound when my pad were gone and more muted with new pads. Bringing it back in the AM.