Hello All,

First, my ride..

2000 Mazda Protege LX (highest trim in canada)
5 Spd.
1.8L 4cyl.
Front Disc, Rear Drum Brakes

Brakes work fine, until I slam on the brakes (got cut off), when the pedal got to the limit of it's travel, I felt a low pitch grinding noise.

I spent $300 replacing the front brakes and routers .. still same issue ... has anyone ever heard of this?

 

Do you know where the griding noise came from; front/rear, left/right?

Did you feel it, or hear it, or both?

Did you talk to the guys that fixed your brakes about what happened and tell them that the grinding is still happening?

Did you have them inspect the rear brakes too? Usually when those pads wear down, it feels like you're stopping on a paved road covered in gravel.

 

this may sound like adumb question, but ABS?

 

Just to update, every so often, and I mean about one time every 3 weeks, I will gently press on the brake pedal and I will hear and feel the grinding only much more pronounced. It feels and sounds like a grinding/knocking .. and the harder I press the more I can feel/hear it. There are no marks on the inside of my rims or on the calipers (had the brake guy check that when he replace the routers and pads). If I were to let off the brake pedal, then back onto it immediatly, the brakes will go back to normal.

javanc, definatly not a dumb question, I do have ABS

mgs_freak, I do sort of know where the grinding noise is coming from .. it sounds like it is coming from the front as opposed to the rear. I hear AND feel it both. I have not taken it back to the Midas guy's who replaced the front brakes. I told them about the issue originally, but they were more worried about the gentle pulse I had in the brakes because of the front routers being warped. I also had them inspect the rear brakes, they even adjusted them for me.

I'm really at my wits end over this .. I don't want to take my car in and have them charge me so much $$ only to tell me they can't find anything wrong. I think I might bow down and take it to a mazda dealer .. maybe they will know what I'm talking about?

Thanks for the help guy's, hopefully someone knows what I'm taking about..

 

sounds like to me someone simply didnt use some disc brake quiet behind the pads and they are making a bit of noise...and if those rotors were warped you messed up the pad surface....new pads and rotors at the same time please

 

Um, didn't I just post that I replaced both the pads and rotors at the same time?? And the grinding/knocking is REALLY loud when it happens ... trust me, if it was just a small noise, I woudn't be so freaked out about this .. but when it does happen, and I do lightly press on the pedal, it sounds like someone is sticking a large metal pipe against my spinning rims!!!! Problem is, it only happens once every 3 weeks-ish. So when I take it into a mechanic, he "can't find anything wrong"

 

moved to crrect section "3rd gen suspension/brakes"

 

check the half shafts. they could be starting to get worn. no noises on accelleration? only on braking? just one click/thunk or a series and when does it stop? try putting up on jack stands and running the tranny in second gear and see what you hear.

 

refering back to my abs comment, do you know what abs feels like? it causes a grinding, scary yet non lethal. try it on a straight dry road and just try to lock them up youll see what i mean

 

This description doesnt exactly match your thread title...1st I would inspect everything in all 4 wheel wells, look for anything out of the ordinary,like ground metal..take wheels off calipers,rotors,pads,etc...look at the bore of the piston in your calipers,could be something not smooth in there...only other thing I can think of is wheel bearings could be going?? It can be intermittent if they are going bad, but shouldnt necessarily coincide with brakes being applied,althought the heat building up will make things expand

p.s. if the ABS is activated, the brakes pulse,thats all, it wouldnt make anything grind if normal braking isnt doing it

 

So I took my Protege to Midas AND a Mazda Dealer ... turns out the terrible noise I heard IS the ABS braking ....

....

What a horrible noise the ABS braking makes Don't suppose there's anyway of making it any quieter?!?!

 

yeah get new tires that are so soft that no matter how hard you brake they still grip or just dont slam on the brakes, firm and steady.

 

Turn up the volume on the stereo. That fixes ALL weird/annoying noises.