About a week ago for about 5 days my car was making the most horrid scratching screatching sound from the right rear brake. Even when the brakes were not applied it would continue. This was a metal on metal sound, not your typical harmonic noise. It then became intermitent and now it's completely gone. Was that an early warning system type deal? Or is everything on that pad just completely gone now? I'm not trying to push it on my brakes till something gets ****ed up but I would like to know if I could wait till saturday to get this taken care of...

 

Um, not to state the obvious but jack the thing up, remove a tire and inspect the brake pads.

 

really haven't had a chance. Found out when I took it last week and dropped it off for the brake job the inifinit sold me a car with no wheel lock keys. Just got by an infiniti dealership today to get the locks popped off and probably wont be able to get to it tonight as I'll be in the office late.

 

ttt

 

bump

 

That usually means your pads are worn. Your rotor is probably scratched up too, so you'll either need to have them cut or replaced. I've had that happen twice, and always the rear right one too that would squeal.

 

But why did it stop?

 

anybody?

 

I say put the car on a lift/jack and inspect all the brakes. Sounds like something may have been loose.

 

my right rear just did the same thing this morning on the way to work, so I had to limp her home and park her and take the DD...Passat wagon. off to the shop for some new rotors, pads and fluid as this combo has seen 35K miles and have given up.

washed her on Sunday and noticed a slight rubbing/scuffing sound, but just thought it was the rust that forms on rotors after washing being scuffed off. looked at wheel/brakes carefully and noticed a lot of dust on lips and in wheel barrel. much more dust than usual so I thought something was up. all other wheels/brakes were fine.

did not have any noise on the way home Sun or to and from work on Mon. car sat on Tues. and when I took her out this morning it sounded like metal on metal even when brakes were not applied. did not have time to really look at the car, but there was even more dust on lips and barrel so I am sure the pad is coming apart as it was making a rubbing/scratching noise even when brakes were not applied. sound comes and goes as car gets moving. I am thinking the pad may have come off its backing plate as it looks like chunks of brake pad in the wheel barrel.

this sounds exactly like what you are going through. I am sure your pads are gone and you may need to replace the rear rotors as they are as cheap as having machined.

let us know what happened. my car is sitting until I get the new parts together and can limp her over to the shop for a fresh brake job!

I am going back to OEM rotors and Akebono ceramic pads for smooth braking, no dust, no noise, good stopping power and linear pedal feel. my Stoptech cross drilled rotors warped and acted like a cheese grater on my Endless pads. no more overly expensive brake components for me.

let us know how you make out. good luck!

 

Does ANYONE actually do any work on their own cars? It ain't brain surgery just to jack up the car on stands and take the wheel off to inspect the brakes. The OP could have found out long ago.

 

that is what I will be doing once I get all the parts together. it is much easier/fatser at my buddies shop with a lift then jacking each wheel separately. plus he is the shop foreman. if he was not my friend I would probably have a qualified indy mechanic take care of my car as I am a novice.

I am sure the OP just has a pad that has gone bad and I was just relating a similar experience I just happened to have this morning. sometimes it makes people feel better that others are having the exact same problem and that it is no big deal and is an easy fix...at least I hope for him.

 

OEM pads have a wear indicator that rubs with your rotor when your pads get to a certain depth. That screeching noise means that you don't have much time until you wear your pads down to the rivets and damage your rotors. Time to get new pads.

 

OP, did you find out what it was? just worn pads or was caliper seized.

that is my only concern since my other pads are not that worn. caliper may be seized and have to rebuilt or replaced. hopefully just needs a cleaning and can still be used.

 

it was a warning. Looked at the pads and looks like there is a little pad life left. Hopefully I can get it in the shop before it compltely disappears