Strange Brake Issue

Kinja'd!!! "Baskingshark" (Baskingsharks)
12/08/2014 at 23:00 • Filed to: None

Kinja'd!!!0 Kinja'd!!! 7

Hey opponaughts I am hoping someone could shed some light on a wierd brake issue that has crept up this past week. I daily an 05 Scion TC with about 150k on the clock. Occasionally when lightly applying the brakes at low speed it seems as if the left rear caliper locks up and I get a loud grinding sound. It does not happen every time and I can not get it to happen on command either. Braking from speed is fine, no noise at all, peddle feel is normal, etc.

Any ideas?

Kinja'd!!!

DISCUSSION (7)


Kinja'd!!! Brian Silvestro > Baskingshark
12/08/2014 at 23:05

Kinja'd!!!1

Maybe metal on metal is touching somewhere? Check how much rear brakes you have left.


Kinja'd!!! thebigbossyboss > Baskingshark
12/08/2014 at 23:20

Kinja'd!!!1

Entirely possible your caliper is seized up on the right side.


Kinja'd!!! BaconSandwich is tasty. > Baskingshark
12/08/2014 at 23:36

Kinja'd!!!1

What Brian says. Take a look at all the pads/rotors/shoes/drums. If it comes to it, you could also try flushing the fluid in case anything has broken loose and caused a partial plug somewhere.


Kinja'd!!! gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Baskingshark
12/08/2014 at 23:52

Kinja'd!!!1

This is not abnormal behavior for a brake pad worn down past its friction material. Or you could have a foreign object (rock) stuck in there. You can probably check your rotor for scoring without pulling a wheel off (and it'll get groovy fast with bad pads or a rock caught in there) but it's pretty easy to pull a wheel off to look at pad and rotor thickness. Pads and rotors are wear items, but they're one of the easier diy jobs. YouTube has tons of how-to's.


Kinja'd!!! Baskingshark > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
12/09/2014 at 00:03

Kinja'd!!!0

I did check the rotors and they are all smooth but it is probably about time to replace them all.


Kinja'd!!! gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Baskingshark
12/09/2014 at 02:04

Kinja'd!!!0

Both sides of the rotor? If the rotors are still smooth, you can probably get away with just changing out pads. But if you've got something other than friction material rubbing your rotors, it will groove them. I wouldn't expect a stuck caliper to just grab harder. While I can't see what's happening, it definitely seems to me like a pad/rotor thing the way you describe it.


Kinja'd!!! orcim > Baskingshark
12/09/2014 at 03:06

Kinja'd!!!0

I had an old caliper that got gunked up with corrosion. The performance was spotty initially making weird sounds, etc. but then it locked because it couldn't let go. Got it home and realized that although the cylinders seemed cool (no obvious visual faults), they didn't want to move back. I tried bleeding the brakes but that wheel was not bleeding. Too much gunk in the way.

Got a new one and everything fine.