Sometimes when the wheels first start rolling, there is a groaning sound – not a squeal; it’s at a few hundred Hertz. I’m pretty sure it’s coming from the front of the car, and I can usually feel the vibration in the accelerator pedal.
The sound dies out after a few seconds, but sometime reoccurs during the first few hundred feet of driving (low speed). I have not been able to apply brakes fast enough to see if that stops the groaning.
This symptom has lasted for a few months. We don’t drive much, so I have not been able to detect a clear pattern. It’s most consistent on the first trip of the day, but sometimes occurs on later trips. A few times the groaning has occurred while cornering (low speed), and MAYBE it’s more consistent (again, only at start-up) during wet weather.
The car was in the shop for maintenance about a month ago, but the Trusted Independent Mechanic did not hear any sound. (A corollary of Murphy’s Law.)
Inter-web searching suggests brake (pads not retracting?? warped rotor??) or wheel bearing. I figured I can get more reliable advice here, even if only to confirm.
Corrosion on the surface of the brake rotor is causing the groan is my guess.
Brakes can make squeal, grind, groan and many other annoying noises…
You might drive it a half an hour in city traffic with lots of brake applies OR a couple of high speed, heavy brake applies so you can check the next morning to see if it is still there to confirm or deny this theory of mine.
I agree with Mustangman. especially that you don’t drive that often. As you can see from the TSB below it happens in many vehicles. even when they were new.
I agree with the above… May even be semi metallic pads rusting and then driving it is burning the rust off the pads and rotors…
I stored my tow dolly over the winter and the stupid semi metallic pads (a prior owner installed) rusted solid to the rotors, that was a total PITA to deal with…
Thanks. I was thinking (maybe hoping) that it was something like that. So, other than doing some hard braking and then seeing if the groaning goes away, what else should I do?
Nothing; just do some hard braking if the sound comes back.
Replace the rotor
Replace both rotors
Something else
(Gotta love the auto-number feature here.)
I’ll report the results in a few days. (I expect not to drive the car today or tomorrow,) If the groaning persists, I’ll ask for more advice.