Eugene Auto Repair

Brake noise can change quickly. A light squeal that was easy to ignore last week can turn into a rough grinding sound every time you slow down. Sometimes the noise shows up all at once, even though the brakes seemed completely normal the day before. When a vehicle comes into our shop with grinding brakes, we do not assume the pads are worn out and stop there. We pay attention to when the noise happens, which wheel it seems to come from, whether the car pulls, and whether one brake is getting hotter than the others. Once the wheels are off, the wear pattern usually gives us a much clearer direction. Worn Brake Pads Can Reach the Rotors One of the most common causes of grinding is a brake pad that has worn through its friction material. Once that material is gone, the metal backing plate starts contacting the rotor. That metal-on-metal contact makes a harsh grinding sound and can damage the rotor very quickly. Deep grooves form in the braking surface, heat increases ... read more