im just wondering if i need new rotors…my husband swears we dont but my car is making an awful grinding noise and it makes it when im not pushing on the brakes too…i have two kids that ride in this car and i just want to do whats right and stop listening to him since he really does not know much about cars
Is is a grinding sound or a very loud, obnoxious squeal? The squeal are the wear clips warning that the pads are low, and need to be replaced. A grind is metal-to-metal and very dangerous.
If your husband is not a mechanic, take it to a shop. Once the brakes begin to grind, it may be impossible to turn the rotors to a smooth surface. The grinding sound is when all the pad material is worn off, and the metal backing plate directly contacts the metal surface of the rotor. Have it done NOW, because the next thing that will happen is the brake piston may blow out, or the rotor break, and you have NO BRAKES!
Well that grinding noise may not even involve the rotors. How long has it been (time and miles) since the brakes were replaced (front and back?) Do you have any idea where the noise is coming from (left right front back?)
The only way to know if the rotors need replacement is to take a look at them, same as the brake pads.
Frankly you want to have it taken care of now as it may be a safety issue.
Replacing rotors is almost standard today and is highly recommended for some cars anytime the brakes are replaced. They are not made to last the life of the car. They are considered wear items, just like maybe an air filter.We could say yes or no, but somebody has to have a look. You might need a new something else, if not a rotor.
Brakes can grind even when they’re not being applied. Eventually the brakes wear enough that the pad will wind up dragging on the rotor all the time.
It is also possible that eventually a brake pad will pop clean out of the yoke and you may have no brakes at all.
This could be upsetting if they fail while you’re running up to stop sign, huh?
A bad wheel bearing could also cause this. If this grinding noise is present with the engine running and the car NOT moving, then you may have a water pump, idler or tensioner bearing, A/C compressor clutch bearing, etc. going out.
No matter what, grinding is bad and this car should NOT be driven until the exact cause is known.
Your non-mechanically minded hubby sure seems to be a bit lackadaisical about something that could potentially do in both you and the kids.
Has he taken out any large life insurance policies on any of you lately?
Hahahaha harsh but I like it!