I started my car up today and drove to Waikiki to do inventory....On my way there, I notice that my car was making a "high pitch screech" noise.The noise(That sounded like finger nails on a chalk board)was coming from the driver side rotor.....the noise stayed on, even when I didn't use the brakes.....of course when I stop, the noise stop.....even if the brake pad is worn out, I thought it only made that noise when I applied the brakes??? Please correct me if i'm wrong......I've been worrying over it the pass 2 hours.....For all I know, it's just may be as simple as changing my brake pads.....Anyways to conclude my story, I finish inventory and got back in my car and as I moved forward, The rotor made a sound like a marble in a soda can.....then the noise stop.....even on my way home it was quite like before......never the less, I stop by Redline and bought new brake pads... I'll be changing them tonight at my friends shop......Could that noise have been anything else??? cuz I find it strange the noise came and left in such a short amout of time.....I think I'm just trippen over a simple brake pad change..... what do you think????

 

there is a metal clip on the brakes that make that scrapping noise so that you know it's time to change....i know because i was worried when i had that constant scrapping noise even if i wasn't stepping on the brakes so and when my husband looked at the brake pads they weren't completely worn but he showed me the clip on the brake and said that it's there let you know when the brake pads are getting low.

 

I'm not too sure, but I believe since the brakes are technically dragging on the rotor very lightly, the wear indicator would make noise too?

Hmm.. Well if you're really short on cash, you can cut the wear indicator off but know that you have like.. 1/8" of pad left or something. It's a very temporary fix to get you through the week, if need be. But I think the labor required to access the indicator and cut it off is like 80% of the labor that it takes to swap pads.. LOL OK, I take that back.

Hopefully the sound is just the indicator and nothing else?

But just a heads up, don't let that go on for too long. I've seen some rotors ruined because the indicator wore a deep groove in the rotor that couldn't be resurfaced without going below spec.

 

Yup, had the same noise happen to me about a month ago...very embarrasing...I ordered some brake pads and after what seemed like a month, had them put on...sounds much better...

I looked at the old pads and there was 1/8" or less left...too close for comfort...

Which pads did you go with?

 

She's right...it's the brake indicator that's making that noise.

Change it and you should be all good in the hood!

 

I'd be willing to bet there was a rock (or some other debris) stuck in the caliper. That would explain the "marble in a soda can" sound that you heard just before the noise went away. I've seen it happen to cars before, generally at auto-x events where the hot tires are picking up a lot of crap off the road and somehow something gets caught in between the rotor and caliper.

Pat Olsen
'97 Legacy 2.5GT sedan

 

Thanks guys for all your input much Mahaloz......I'm heading over to my friends shop to change my brake pads...... Island style,to answer your question....I picked up ACDelco brake pads from Redline Automotive.....