2010 Mercury Mariner Braking Noise

I have a 2010 Mercury Mariner. Just after I had the brakes replaced, it started sounding like the brakes were grinding when I’d come to a firm (but not fast braking) stop, just periodically.

I had the brakes looked at at the shop again, and they told me the brakes were perfect and they didn’t hear the noise. I didn’t hear it either for about three days, then it started up again. I had a friend look at my brakes to make sure nothing was done incorrectly, and he agreed that they were perfect, and when he took the car for a drive, he didn’t hear the noise.

About a day later, the noise started up again. This time I had my friend come over and took him for a drive before he looked at the car. Sure enough, he heard it! After some testing, he thinks it’s something in the suspension. He took off the wheel and took a look, but couldn’t see anything obvious. And then when he took it for a test drive, the noise had magically stopped. But it started up a couple of days later, of course.

I again took it in to Ford, while I was having the tires replaced, and they said they didn’t hear anything. So frustrating! But later that day, it started again.

So my question is this: what could be causing the noise? It’s a deep grinding noise, and I can feel it in the brake. It feels like the brakes themselves are grinding. It doesn’t happen all the time, but definitely happens more often when I’m driving down a hill. And sometimes when I’m going over a bump, the wheel feels “loose” if that makes any sense, and I hear an almost hollow noise from the undercarriage somewhere. I don’t have to slam on the brakes to make this noise happen. Sometimes it’ll happen even at very low speeds, stopping at a light with normal distance at 20mph. And as you can see above, it seems to STOP if the wheel is removed for some reason, unless that’s a coincidence.

I’d just like something specific for the dealership to direct their attention to. It’s under extended warranty, and only has about 45k miles on it (because I worked remotely for many years, and I took careful care of it). I appreciate any advice!

Mayhaps the new brake pads/rotors weren’t properly bedded.

http://brakeperformance.com/bedding-in-rotors.php

Tester

They checked it a couple of times, though. But it’s been 5000 miles since, and it’s still doing it. Would it still be making that noise? (Also, it only does it going forward… if you brake in reverse, it doesn’t make the noise.)

Some pad materials cause a noise on certain car models. Although that is usually described as a high pitched screetching type noise, not a grinding.

If the brakes are working well and not wearing abnormally fast, you may have to try a different pad material, or live with it.

Mariner? Have you taken it to sea recently?