My brakes are grinding
The friction material is gone and the steel backing plate of the pad is scraping the rotor. Every stop grinds metal off the rotor, which turns a pad job into a pad and rotor job, and soon a caliper job too. A deep grind with a pull to one side can also be a caliper that has seized. A grinding noise that does not change when you brake is more likely a wheel bearing or a rock stuck behind the dust shield.
Urgency
Stop driving it
What to do right now
What to do right now
- 1Stop driving it if you can. If you must move it, short and slow, leave extra room, and stay off the highway. Have it towed if it is grinding hard or the pedal goes low.
- 2Do not pump the brakes or ride them to test it. You grind the rotor deeper every time.
- 3Feel the wheel after a short drive. If one is much hotter than the others or smells like burning, that brake is dragging.
- 4If the pedal is soft or sinks, that is a fluid problem on top of the grind. Do not drive it. Call for a tow.
What it usually is
What it usually is
Brake repair
Pads and rotors on the affected axle, calipers and hardware inspected. If the caliper slides seized in the humidity, that gets fixed too or the new pads wear out in months.
See the serviceWheel bearings
If the grind is there while rolling and does not change with the brake pedal, we check the bearing. A failed bearing can lock a wheel, so it is treated as urgent too.
See the serviceQuestions people ask
Can I drive it to you?
If it is a light grind that just started and the pedal is firm, a short, slow drive straight to the shop is usually okay. If it is loud, the car pulls, the pedal is low, or you smell burning, have it towed. A tow is cheaper than a caliper.
Why did it go from fine to grinding so fast?
It usually did not. The squeal from the wear indicator was there for weeks, and the radio was up. Once the pad reaches the backing plate, it goes from quiet to grinding in a day.
Do I need new rotors?
When it has been grinding, almost always. The backing plate cuts grooves in the rotor face and takes it under the minimum thickness. We measure every rotor and tell you if one can be saved.
Both sides or just the one that is grinding?
Brakes are done in pairs on the same axle so the car stops straight. If the other side has the same mileage, it is close behind anyway.