Pressing brakes for safety’s sake when driving a car, is a normal practice. Therefore, an efficient and smooth braking system is crucial to ensure a safe and comfortable drive. However, sometimes car brakes start producing noise when braking such as the brakes grinding or scraping and difficulty in braking are the signs of bad brakes.
If your car brakes make a grinding noise when you press the brake pads, you are in need to inspect your car or send your vehicle to a nearby service station to fix the issue. The reason is that driving a car with bad brakes can result in life-threatening accidents and the complete failure of the braking system with massive damage to other crucial parts.
To know about the reasons or causes of grinding sound when braking and possible solutions, you can use this guide.
Causes of Brakes Grinding
To stop your brakes from making a grinding noise, you first need to know the reasons behind this issue. It will help you to choose the best way to fix this issue. Therefore, we have listed some major reasons that can cause this trouble here;
Worn Out Brake Pads
Brake pads with a perfect combo of graphite, metal, and brass are the most crucial components of a car braking system. Though they have a long life span of 25,000 to 60,000 miles, they can wear out due to multiple reasons.
In worn brake pads, the metal is directly exposed to rotors and causes squealing noise. It can lead to grinding noise if you do not fix the issue timely.
Damaged Brake Rotors
Rotors are present next to brake discs and play a crucial role in stopping the vehicle. When they start wearing due to rust or other debris accumulation, they start producing grinding noise.
Lack Of Lubrication
We all know that a car braking system is composed of various parts which are crucial for its smooth functionality. All these parts need proper cleaning and lubrication to avoid friction. Therefore, skipping or lack of lubrication can also result in brake grinding.
Faulty Wheel Bearings
No one can deny the need for wheel bearings because they help the wheel to run smoothly. When one or more wheel bearings start wearing due to dust or rusting, the braking system starts producing grinding noise.
How To Fix It?
The fixing process depends on the reasons and extent of the problem. In some cases, only cleaning debris can help to fix the issue, while some need proper replacement of defective parts.
Some common solutions that can help you to get rid of this problem are listed below;
- If you are experiencing brake grinding issues due to low brake fluids, rusting, or debris accumulation, then lubricating your car braking system is enough to fix the issue.
- In case of small cracks or damaged brake pads or any other part, repairing or fixing the leakage can help you to stop the grinding noise when braking. However, it’s a temporary solution only.
- If car brakes make a grinding sound due to the complete failure of one or more brake components then replacing the damaged part is the only solution.
- Sending your car for regular cleaning and fixing minor errors timely is the most reliable and economical approach to avoid this issue
FAQs:
Is It Safe To Drive A Car With Brakes Grinding?
Simply not, because car brakes are one of the most crucial and must-have components of the car that need to be in the right working order to drive smoothly. Grinding brakes can damage other crucial parts and result in severe road accidents due to complete failure if left untreated. Therefore, immediate fixing of brake noise is crucial to ensure safe driving.
Can Low Brakes Fluid Cause Grinding?
Yes! If you are experiencing grinding or scraping noise when braking or lowering the speed, you may have low brake fluids level. Another sign of low brake fluid is hard braking with a sharp smell of burning fluid or oil.
Refilling the brake fluid can fix this issue.
What Are The Signs of Low Brake Fluid?
It can vary from situation to situation and type of vehicle. However, the most common signs may include the activation of the anti-lock braking system, vibration or unusual sounds when braking, meshy brake pads, and hard braking.
What is The Cost To Fix Brakes Grinding?
It depends on the root cause of the issue and the types of parts that need to be replaced. However, the average cost ranges from $150 to $650. It can be higher in case of faulty brake components such as rotors, a stuck brake caliper, and brake pads.
Takeaway
Now you have a better idea of what causes brake scraping sound and grinding. You can deal with this trouble more effectively. You can also use this guide to fix the problem manually. However, relying on a professional mechanic or a creditable service station for diagnosing and fixing brake noise is a more reliable and cost-effective approach.
Last Updated on June 14, 2023 by admin
Mac is an Automotive enthusiast. He owns up to 15 vehicles. He deals with Auto problems and shows his skill to Car owners who are seeking any type of Car help.
