Grinding Noise When Braking 15mph To Zero

[IDH]

Hi,

 

I have booked my '04 2.3 gal for an assessment this week at Fords. however does anyone have any ideas on the problem...

 

When braking at any speed and coming to a stop there is a sort of grinding feedback at 15mph down to zero - a low audible grind / can feel feedback through the pedal. The performance of the brakes are good and theyhad been checked (visually i guess) and was told the pads and discs where OK just after i bought the car in January (didnt take an assessor for a drive at the time to show the problem), it has become very annoying - I wondered if the problem could be linked to the drivetrain or different brake pad compound?. I didnt have this problem with my old '51 plate or any other vehicle i've owned so will find out what the assessor's view is this week.

 

Also getting them to look at the gearbox, lumpy gearchange especially when cold-i see i'm not alone on this!!

 

Any comments on the brakes will be appreciated. Thanks!!

[Ivor]

It sounds like the pads are worn down to the metal to me. :angry:

 

I heard the same noise on my wife's car on Friday - I only heard the grating noise when almost stopped. I replaced them on them Saturday :rolleyes: .

[IDH]

It does sound that way - although visibily there is plenty of life left in the pads and the noise comes in only at 15mph to a standstill.

[Andrew T]

I've had a seized caliper which meant the outer(visible) pad was fine, the inner (invisible) one was toast.

[IDH]

Thanks Andrew - i didnt know there was a non visible pad!!

 

Were the symptoms of yours being worn similar to that which i'm experiencing?

 

Also, current mileage is only 11k.

[Andrew T]

Yes, it was on my wifes previous car, after she had reported identical symptoms and I had insisted the pads were OK. If you whip the wheel off the inner pad is visible through a slot in the Caliper body. It really shouldn't happen on a car a new as yours though. Maybe it spent a year or two sitting in a field before delivery?

 

I did have a similar problem on a Fiat Uno which baffled me for ages. It only made the grinding noise under certain circumstances, hard braking on tight downhill left-hand bends. When stripping down the brakes I discovered that a newly fitted exhaust was contacting the driveshaft under those circumstances.

[IDH]

Thanks Andrew, I'll mention this on Wednesday when i'm booked in at Ford. I'll post a message with their response.

[Guest vr6galaxy]

 

When braking at any speed and coming to a stop there is a sort of grinding feedback at 15mph down to zero - a low audible grind / can feel feedback through the pedal. The performance of the brakes are good

We have had the same thing with a couple of our T4/5's at work, the brakes works fine but you get this awful graunching noise at low speeds :rolleyes: it seems since they removed the nasty stuff out the pads they have a higher metal content which can lead to more noise at low speeds

[Guest spanner137]

you are right, same thing occurs on caravelles as well, it is just a build up of brake dust, go to jetwash and put lance into brake caliper and blast them, you will see black dust wash away and brakes will be fine afterwards. MAKE SURE YOU TRY YOUR BRAKES BEFORE DRIVING OFF

[IDH]

Thanks for this - now putting my mind at ease - I've been having thoughts that i'd bought a dog of a car with a dodgy gearbox and Brakes!! and was wishing for my old one back!!

It had been mentioned to me that it could be a different brake compound, and i'll blast out all of the brake dust and hopefully problem solved. I'll feedback what ford say about the notchy gearbox.....Thanks again for input.

[IDH]

Went to the local Essex ford, he was helpful and suggested the brake noise was due to the harder metallic compound or Glazing of the pads, although understood it was annoying! he hadnt had any others in because of it, more noticable at low speed because of lower engine noise. He was happy all else was OK as no steering vibration, pedal feeback etc. I've booked it in on Monday and he is going to take a look clean any dust residue and perhaps de-glaze if required - if it's solved the problem all well and good otherwise suggested i take it up with the warranty manager to get some new pads!! As a lot of life in these and only 11k miles. He said the gearbox felt OK but wants to take a drive when engine is cold when the problem was noticeable (1st to 3rd)- and said the cables may need slight adjustment but will advise on Monday. Hopefully will get all sorted out then.

[IDH]

local essex ford changed the brake pads - hopefully problem solved.