6 Causes of grinding noise when braking
If you hear grinding noise when braking, you should not underestimate this condition. It indicates that the brakes on car making grinding noise. A grinding sound when braking appears when you press the brake pedal, indicating that the brake system (especially in the rotor and calipers) has an important problem.
Suppose the brakes making grinding noise is left unchecked. It can be dangerous because it involves the braking system. Faulty brakes are never good news because they may lead to major accidents. So, ignoring grinding noise when braking will only make the problems worse. Here are the six causes of grinding noise when you press the brake pedal.
1. Worn out brake pads
The first causes of grinding noise when braking is worn-out brake pads. Read: How to check brake pads ? The brake pads have a lifetime according to the load they receive. The greater the braking load, the faster the brake pad damage will occur. Generally, each brake pad has a thin plate mounted on one side and faces the disc rotors.
When the brake pad is thinning and starts to wear out, this thin plate starts touching the surface of the disc rotors. It causes metal to touch other metals. Resulting in grinding and squeaking noises. When brake pads are grinding, the rotor can also rub the caliper and scrape its surface. After that, the grinding sound from the brake appears.
Worn-out brake pads are one of the most reasons for making a grinding noise when braking. If this happens, you must replace the pads immediately to prevent more severe damage. Read: How often to replace brake pads ?
2. Worn out rotor disc
The next causes of grinding noise when braking is worn-out rotor disc. Worn-out rotor discs can create annoying noises from the braking system, such as grinding noise. A typically worn-out rotor disc has a deep inner basin on the center of the rotor surface that touches the brake pad. This basin makes uneven contact with the brake pad, even with the new ones.
So, only the outer side of the disc rotor is pressed by the brake pad. More than that, vibration will appear on the brake pedal. As a result, it can cause grinding noise because the brake pads grind the rotors and making braking less comfortable.
3. Low-Quality brake pads
Another causes of grinding noise when braking is using low-quality brake pads. In addition to the worn-out surface of the disc rotor, low-quality new brake pads may also create grinding noise when braking. You may be wondering, why are the new brake pads grinding noise?
The poor-quality brake pads often contain metal chunks, which will scrape on the surface of the disc rotors, causing heavy damages known as brakes scrubbing. Buying low-quality brake pads will only add to the burden of costs and additional time for repairs.
You will often come to the workshop to repair your car's brakes using a low-quality brake pad. So, be sure to use an original equipment manufacturer to ensure the best quality for the brake pads.
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4. Broken Shims
The fourth causes of grinding noise when braking is broken shims. Many car brakes using shims to ensure and maintain the brake support caliper from damage on the brake pad holder. This shim should also be replaced when replacing the brake pad with the new ones.
Sometimes, some technicians pass the shim replacement. As a result, the shim becomes worn and damaged. Broken parts of the shim can touch the rotating disc rotors and create problems such as car brake grinding noise.
5. Solid objects between caliper and disc rotor
The other causes of grinding noise when braking is solid objects between the caliper and disc rotor. It's a normal condition for brakes components to face dust, dirt, and grime. However, sometimes solid objects like small rocks or tiny debris are pinched between the caliper and the disc rotor.
The frictions created from such an object can create brake grinding noise whether you push the brake or not, and surely it can damage these brake parts.
6. Faulty wheel bearing
The last causes of grinding noise when braking is a faulty wheel bearing. Disc rotors and brake drums are fully bonded to wheel bearings. Wheel bearings with good conditions will provide a stable and balanced rotation to the disc rotors.
On the contrary, a broken wheel bearing will make the disc rotors rotate out of balance. It will cause the disc rotor to touch other brake parts that are not rotating. When metal comes together with other metals like this, it will create a grinding sound from your braking system.
This faulty wheel bearing can also cause your car's wheels to spin unstable when driving. Therefore, if this happens, you should immediately check with the nearest workshops to ensure a safe trip.