Author Topic: Front Offside Brake Grinding Noise  (Read 9261 times)

guest593

  • Guest
Front Offside Brake Grinding Noise
« on: September 19, 2011, 11:44:50 PM »
Last winter I noticed that when we had overnight frost my front offside brake didn't work properly until it had been pumped 3 or 4 times. What happened was the pedal felt solid when force was applied and there was a grinding noise coming from that wheel but more importantly the brakes didn’t work properly.
I had it checked and everything seemed ok. Eventually I replace the disc & pads on both wheels and everything seemed ok but looking back the temp had risen and we didn’t get any more frost.
The other day I had to apply the brakes hard in an emergency and I could hear the same grinding noise again from the same side as before although the brakes operated ok. Pads and disc seem ok but I’m stumped as to what it can be. I’ve thought about changing the full calliper to see if that makes a difference.
What do you guys think the cause is?

guest1844

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
Re: Front Offside Brake Grinding Noise
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2011, 09:23:34 PM »
I'll ask a daft question, but was that sound the ABS working? It was frosty (slippery), you'd have heard a grinding noise and the car took longer to stop. Did you feel it in the pedal?


guest593

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
Re: Front Offside Brake Grinding Noise
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2011, 09:16:50 AM »
I'll ask a daft question, but was that sound the ABS working? It was frosty (slippery), you'd have heard a grinding noise and the car took longer to stop. Did you feel it in the pedal?


Was the ABS working? This may sound daft but I don't know, it felt that the brakes were not working. The pedal didn't travel as far as it normally would and you can feel vibrations in your foot. 
When it happened last time it was summer, the pedal travelled ok but I still felt and heard the grinding noise. I could be wrong but it sounds and feels like it is coming from the front offside wheel.

guest593

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
Re: Front Offside Brake Grinding Noise
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2011, 05:26:51 PM »
Do you think the problem is the ABS?

guest2662

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
Re: Front Offside Brake Grinding Noise
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2011, 06:07:24 PM »
you might need new front pads.

guest2662

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
Re: Front Offside Brake Grinding Noise
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2011, 06:15:10 PM »
 :'(sorry my kid brother answered that when i was out the room     .

guest593

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
Re: Front Offside Brake Grinding Noise
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2011, 07:55:57 PM »
Well he did ok but you can tell him it's not the pads ;-)

olduser1

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1749
  • Country: 00
  • My Honda: Jazz EX 2015 CVT Elite Pack
Re: Front Offside Brake Grinding Noise
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2011, 08:49:26 PM »
One possiblity is the flexible hoses have allowed water to ingress - hence the braking issues  - a favourite on older vehicles.
If the car was mine I would take it without delay to a local independent garage who are able to check the operation & braking efficiency on all wheels on their rolling road.


guest593

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
Re: Front Offside Brake Grinding Noise
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2011, 11:19:23 PM »
One possiblity is the flexible hoses have allowed water to ingress - hence the braking issues  - a favourite on older vehicles.
If the car was mine I would take it without delay to a local independent garage who are able to check the operation & braking efficiency on all wheels on their rolling road.


I've done that and they can't find anything wrong with the brakes. I've tried new pads and disks but no joy. I was wondering if it was something to do with the servo

Top Down

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 114
  • My Honda: March 2012 1.4 iVTEC EX - Deep Sapphire Blue
Re: Front Offside Brake Grinding Noise
« Reply #9 on: October 27, 2011, 06:41:05 AM »
Next time it happens go round and feel the wheels. If one is hot, or hotter than the others, you have a binding caliper. You may also see that wheel is darker than the others due to more brake dust.

If it is that, it sounds as if it's intermittent. It's freeing itself as it cools but can bind under certain circumstances - heavier braking for example. This could be why it doesn't show up under test.




guest2861

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
Re: Front Offside Brake Grinding Noise
« Reply #10 on: October 27, 2011, 12:30:23 PM »
I would agree with the above.  A binding caliper, due to a sticking piston, is a common problem on older cars with high milage but should have been checked when the discs and pads were replace.  As the above writes, check the temp of the wheel after a longish run - but mind you don't burn your fingers, as I once did  !!   :o  But don't change the whole caliper, just the cylinder seal, and if one is sticking then the other should be done too.

Or if you have a newish car then it may be you have some air in the system, hence the pumping of the brake pedal, and, if you are a light braker with runs of little braking requirement, the unpolished surface of the discs and pads may be noisy.  I have just changed my discs and they do make a grinding noise.  Have a look and see if they are polished smooth, or look a bit rough.

Let us know how you get on -  :)

guest593

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
Re: Front Offside Brake Grinding Noise
« Reply #11 on: October 27, 2011, 02:14:08 PM »
I would agree with the above.  A binding caliper, due to a sticking piston, is a common problem on older cars with high milage but should have been checked when the discs and pads were replace.  As the above writes, check the temp of the wheel after a longish run - but mind you don't burn your fingers, as I once did  !!   :o  But don't change the whole caliper, just the cylinder seal, and if one is sticking then the other should be done too.

Or if you have a newish car then it may be you have some air in the system, hence the pumping of the brake pedal, and, if you are a light braker with runs of little braking requirement, the unpolished surface of the discs and pads may be noisy.  I have just changed my discs and they do make a grinding noise.  Have a look and see if they are polished smooth, or look a bit rough.

Let us know how you get on -  :)

Thanks to both of you for your replies but I don't think it's a binding caliper as it mostly happens when the car is left overnight and the temperature drops below freezing. At 1st I was thinking it was a break fluid leak that was freezing but there is no sign of that.
I now wonder if it could be the servo but I know nothing about them so I'm still stumped!

guest2861

  • Topic Starter
  • Guest
Re: Front Offside Brake Grinding Noise
« Reply #12 on: October 27, 2011, 05:00:17 PM »
Brake fluid attracts and readily absorbs water, I think that is often called 'hydroscopic',  which is incorrect, the correct term being ’ hygroscopic’.  Hence if your caliper is leaky  then it may well freeze and jam.  As there is a black plastic seal around the end of the piston there might not be anything to see on the outside.  Your pumping the brake pedal will break any frozen moisture and once the car is moving the warmth of the brake will melt the ice.

To check for this it is necessary to remove the wheel and caliper, but leave it attached to the brake hose and carefully hung on the suspension spring - so as to not stress the hose.  Pump the caliper piston slightly out so the black plastic seal can be accessed,  and pull back the seal from the piston - it is much easier to replace.  The piston under the seal should be clean and dry.  Corroded metal is a sign that the caliper is leaky.

As brake calipers are very expensive (in the UK it is something like £600 for a front pair - non Honda at that!)  it is best to replace the cylinder seal.  I have done two on my previous car and it was not difficult for a competent engineer with the correct tools.  Avoid ‘cheap’ garages.  If you are not able to do it yourself I would advise entrusting it to your Honda dealer garage.  It should not be too expensive, and you will know the job will be done properly.

It is sensible to do this at around 80K miles as a precaution anyway,  but I do not know how many miles your car has done.

Tags:
 

anything
Back to top