Un Heard of Brake Problem

When applying brakes in normal traffic between 1 to 45 MPH, get an extremely loud scrubbing noise (like a large plastic garbage can is stuck under the front end) and extreme vibration in the front end. Total ramdon problem, cannot reproduce at will, nothing is consistent with when it happens. May happen once, may happen at 3 consecutive traffic lights, may happen on consecutive days, may not happen for 2 to 10 days. Does not generate ABS light or code. New front & rear pads and new ABS module. Hayes Chrysler has given up, said only option is to start replacing parts (at my time & expense) until the problem does not occur again. Chrysler Group LLC said they may help pay for repair if I can find the problem. Does anyone have a suggestion?

From jimcarlos - additional info Un Heard of Brake Problem - new front end rotors & it is a 2004.

Is it usually after the truck has been parked over night or for a few days?? If so its likley just surface rust being scraped off the rotors… Normal in a disk brake car depending on what pads it runs. Although it should not cause a vibration…

The extreme vibration part is bothering me. I don’t think its your brakes. I think your Jeep falls into the years when Chrysler got some bad upper ball joints out of China. I suggest that you get the whole front end checked, especially ball joints and tie rod ends. Also check wheel bearings.

Response to gsragtop - no, the jeep is parked from Friday pm to Monday am, the problem is not more likely to happen on Monday than any other day. thanks.

Response to keith - could the ball joints & tierods account for noise? Wouldn’t noise from wheel bearing be more consistent? I will have the front end checked. Thanks

Your problem could be completely random or there might be a pattern you just haven’t recognized yet and it might not be the brakes.
A few questions:
Do the noise and vibration always come together or does one start first?
Is the noise always consistent or does it change as you slow down or modulate the brakes?
Once it starts do you always have to come to a complete stop before the noise goes away?

If the dealer is relatively certain it isn’t something like a faulty speed sensor in the ABS it might be time to look elsewhere. It could be something in the drive train, like the transmission not downshifting properly.

these jeeps also had problems wih the front drive shaft my friends gf has a 04 grand cherakee and he has been chasen his tail till he removed the front shjaft and the vib. whent away. cold also be the front rotors they our undersized for this truck

Any binding in the raceways will cause one of the pads to be out of parallel with the rotor causing it to chatter and a rust film can worsen the chatter. If cleaned and well lubed the inner pad should slide smoothly in and out and the caliper should slide smoothly on the pins.

Believe it or not, front bearings came to my mind too. Probably because mine need to be replaced and your description is the same as my symptoms, except I can hear the bearing too. It sort of sounds like a growling animal rolling down a hill.

Bearings can be tough to confirm. If you can’t hear them while on the rack, sometimes removing the wheel and turning the hub with your hands will disclose the roughness that is a sure sign.

The ball joints or tie rods would not make the noise you describe, but it would lead to the shaking and the shaking would make the noise.

Response to MTraveler - vibration seems to start first and the noise increases as the vehicle slows, including modulating the brakes and the vehicle has to come to a complete stop before the noise goes away.