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+--- Thread: didn't drive car for 4-5 weeks. weird brake noise/vibration (/showthread.php?tid=82696)
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didn't drive car for 4-5 weeks. weird brake noise/vibration - space-time - 08-13-2009
I have a car that I didn't drive for 4-5 weeks, it just sat in the parking lot.
Mileage is 105k, I did replace the front pads at 65k and I think there is 10-20 k left in them. the first set was not even all worn out at 65k, and I also used honda OEM pads, so I expect another 65-75k from the second set. I am not there yet.
last time I drove the car I heard some very weak noise coming from the front wheels, when steering left or right, not when braking. I think that shield might be touching the wheel sometimes. Anyway, the noise was very weak and I was going to take the car in anyway to get some work done (see below).
So today I got all the parts I ordered online (timing belt, water pump, etc) and sometime this week I plan to take the car to the mechanic. I started the car this evening, it hesitated 2-3 seconds but it started, then when I wanted to drive I heard some LOUD noise coming form all 4 wheels. I know the front brake disks are rusty, I can see. It rained several times during the the time the car was not driven. I guess there is also rust in the rear brake drums, although I cannot see that from outside.
So as I drove the car around the block, I expected the noise to go away after I applied the brake several times, but it didn't. I also feel as the brake pedal pulsing when I brake.
what should I do now? drive some more around the block and apply the brake harder to make the rust go away? use some brake cleaning fluid, spray it on the disk and pads and drive around? or call a tow truck to take it to the mechanic (7-8 miles away)
thanks
Re: didn't drive car for 4-5 weeks. weird brake noise/vibration - Mac1337 - 08-13-2009
You are taking it to a mechanic, right? Let him figure it out. I am sure it'll make it. I don't think rust on the rotors have anything to do with the noise you are describing.
Re: didn't drive car for 4-5 weeks. weird brake noise/vibration - davester - 08-13-2009
Can you describe the noise? It seems pretty unlikely to me that loud noises would suddenly crop up on all four wheels at once, especially if you have drums on back and disks on front. a month's worth of surface rust on the rotors is unlikely to make such a noise and there's no way for the drums to get wet unless they were submerged. Also, brake cleaner is not going to do anything for rust. First thing I'd do is take a flashlight and see how much pad you have left. Scraping sounds are usually metal-on-metal destruction sounds. If you have a nice flat no traffic place to drive and all you're hearing is a mild scraping sound but you have plenty of pad I'd suggest driving it around the block a few more times to see if it goes away. A bad indicator is pulsating pedal. Surface rust is not going to do that. Warped rotors is. Did you test your rotor thickness and trueness when you replaced the pads last time? That is a critical step in any brake job.
Re: didn't drive car for 4-5 weeks. weird brake noise/vibration - space-time - 08-13-2009
"Did you test your rotor thickness and trueness when you replaced the pads last time? That is a critical step in any brake job."
I did test the thickness, I don't remember what the number was but there was plenty left. That was the first brake job ever done on that car, and I doubt the rotor would have to be replaced at the same time as the first set of pads. Anyway, the thickness was OK, but I didn't test the trueness. I know the rotors looked smooth (no grooves) and the pedal didn't pulsate before nor after the brake job.
Anyway, that was 4 years ago at 65k miles. The car drove fine for 40k miles since, never a problems with the brakes. I did change wheels when I switched from Winter tires back to Summer tires in March this year and I think I may have bend some of those metallic shields and that was causing the weak noise when turning (although I am not sure).
I also changed the brake fluid 4 years ago and now it's time to change it again. I change it at 4 years because I forget or I am lazy, the manual recommends 3 years. Mea culpa.
Something else I noticed today when I started the car: I put the car in Neutral (Manual Transmission), and Left foot on the Clutch, and Right foot on the Brake. usually the brake Pedal goes down as soon as the Engine starts, this time it seemed much stiffer than usual. In fact I think I should go out and try it again to see how it feels. I'll post back in 10-20 minutes (No, I am not taking a test drive tonight, I had 2 beers
and that also explains the poor spelling. )
Re: didn't drive car for 4-5 weeks. weird brake noise/vibration - space-time - 08-13-2009
OK, here is the test results:
The front Right wheel makes a HORRIBLE noise when going straight or turning right, but it's quiet when turning left. It's not the CV joint, it sounds like sheet metal scraping on something. High pitch, and very clear sheet metal sound.
The brakes are holding, the pedal is pulsating. I drove 3 times around the parking lot, and I think the pulsating is getting weaker, but it's hard to tell. I think I could drive it to the mechanic as it is, I don't need a tow truck.
Somehow the rotor(s) got warped, even though they were fine several weeks ago.
Re: didn't drive car for 4-5 weeks. weird brake noise/vibration - davester - 08-13-2009
Sorry, but I've reached the limit of my ability to diagnose this problem through the internet. It's not making sense to me. All I can say is get thee to a mechanic and be safe.
Re: didn't drive car for 4-5 weeks. weird brake noise/vibration - Speedy - 08-13-2009
Just drive it until the rust all wears off and you'll be good. If not quiet soon, then you may have a pad that has lost its lining and you have steel/rust against steel/rust. Remember that even new pads will probably come with some noise suppressing paste for the back of the pad so I wouldn't sweat the noise.
Re: didn't drive car for 4-5 weeks. weird brake noise/vibration - Mac1337 - 08-13-2009
How about going for c4c?
Re: didn't drive car for 4-5 weeks. weird brake noise/vibration - raz - 08-13-2009
Same thing happened to me while I was laid up (see the Fractured Femur threads).
The noise went away after a few miles, but took it to the shop anyway.
Re: didn't drive car for 4-5 weeks. weird brake noise/vibration - RAMd®d - 08-14-2009
I thought Hondas used stainless steel rotors, which resist rust really well. Iron rotors rust up in a heartbeat.
Either way, a few minutes driving in stop and go traffic will clear the rust up.
The noise is probably from the pads' backing plates and the rust, assuming you still have lining on the pads.
I'm wondering if the noise is actually coming from all four wheels. As mentioned, the rear brakes would be fairly immune to moisture. But if the car was outside in wet weather, condensation could form inside the brake drum, and they are cast iron, and will rust.
But again, driving a little should clear that all up.
Pulsing is a sign of warped rotors, if it is indeed pulsing. That means the pedal will definitely have some slight up and down travel when applying the brakes.
But rotors don't normally warp when idle or wet. Two possibilities-- they've been warped for some time, and you've only noticed it now because you haven't driving the car for some time.
Or- the pedal isn't actually pulsing; the brakes are -grabbing/slipping every so slightly because of the rust and that feeling is being perceived as pulsing.
Drive it for a few miles and see if it gets better.