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Brakes grinding noise

Lambeth Cali

Lambeth Cali

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1,536
Location
London
Vehicle
T5 SE 174
When we returned from France in the summer, on the last half hour of our return to London there was a grinding noise when braking. I forgot to do anything about this but am today about to set off an a half term journey.

Any ideas what this might be?

I think it’s coming from the rear. It’s more than wet and rusty discs I would say.

I’m wondering whether I should get it looked at in S Wales even though that would probably break my huge self-imposed anti-VW dealership ban.
 
Lambeth Cali said:
When we returned from France in the summer, on the last half hour of our return to London there was a grinding noise when braking. I forgot to do anything about this but am today about to set off an a half term journey.

Any ideas what this might be?

I think it’s coming from the rear. It’s more than wet and rusty discs I would say.

I’m wondering whether I should get it looked at in S Wales even though that would probably break my huge self-imposed anti-VW dealership ban.
Click to expand...
Possible rock or other debris lodged in the brake pad or even worn pad?
 
Lambeth Cali said:
When we returned from France in the summer, on the last half hour of our return to London there was a grinding noise when braking. I forgot to do anything about this but am today about to set off an a half term journey.

Any ideas what this might be?

I think it’s coming from the rear. It’s more than wet and rusty discs I would say.

I’m wondering whether I should get it looked at in S Wales even though that would probably break my huge self-imposed anti-VW dealership ban.
Click to expand...
Where you going in south Wales?
 
Off outside to look with iPhone torch and a stick…
 
Discs don’t seem scored
 
I had a similar issue. It turned out to be a small piece of gravel embedded in the brake pad. I jacked up each side having chocked the other side and span each wheel to isolate which one it was. A combination of a jet wash on the pads and reversing whilst gently applying the brakes got it out. I say small piece of gravel but never found the culprit, there was a line scribed on one of the discs which could have helped spot it.
 
Seems to make the noise only half the time. Not during gentle braking. Only on final 10mph-0
Think it’s rear passenger side.

Maybe pad on the way out?

And or trapped stone. Not sure how I remedy that?
 
Lambeth Cali said:
Seems to make the noise only half the time. Not during gentle braking. Only on final 10mph-0
Think it’s rear passenger side.

Maybe pad on the way out?

And or trapped stone. Not sure how I remedy that?
Click to expand...
The only definitive way is to dismantle .
 
I think we’re living with it for now.
 
Pads are a lot cheaper than discs - if they are worn or if debris is trapped then this will eventually cause wear to the discs. Why not pop to a garage for a free check then you can decide how to proceed. Needless to say, they are hugely important to your safety.
 
Lambeth Cali said:
I think we’re living with it for now.
Click to expand...
I bet it’s corrosion on the inside of the disc.

does the a van stop normally Under normal breaking ?
have your pads got more than. A couple of mm left on them ?
Try pulling the Hand brake on whilst driving to clean the disc up. (obviously not pulling the hand brake on hard, just enough to create some drag and for a few seconds at a time, so not to overheat the pads ).

once this is done try a few hard stops consecutively to clean up the pads / disc.
 
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If you play Will Young loud enough you can’t hear it.
 
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Does the van have pad wear indicators on both sides of each axle or just one side?
Worn pads making a grating noise would have flagged a warning long ago.
 
Daggartukvan1 said:
Pads are a lot cheaper than discs - if they are worn or if debris is trapped then this will eventually cause wear to the discs. Why not pop to a garage for a free check then you can decide how to proceed. Needless to say, they are hugely important to your safety.
Click to expand...
I thought the only place open on a Sunday would be Quickfit. Had limited time.

In 60,000 miles and 15 years the Cali has never had its pads or discs changed. I mentioned this at last 2 MOT/services at the VW specialist I’ve been taking the van to for at least ten years and they checked them and said they were ok.

My Golf which I recently sold was 15 years and 40,000 miles without pads or discs either.

I’m guessing age doesn’t really have anything to do with it. Very low mileages and almost all motorways.

I’ll get the pads done when home.
 
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sidepod said:
Does the van have pad wear indicators on both sides of each axle or just one side?
Worn pads making a grating noise would have flagged a warning long ago.
Click to expand...
Do you mean electrical indicators? On the dash? It’s a 2008 SE. Maybe not fitted to the rear pre 2010?

When I looked at discs earlier I couldn’t see anything and couldn’t actually really see the pads but honestly wouldn’t know what I was looking for.
 
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Lambeth Cali said:
I’m wondering whether I should get it looked at in S Wales even though that would probably break my huge self-imposed anti-VW dealership ban.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't worry about trying to find a VW shop, any general workshop should be able to diagnose whatever it is that's causing the brake noise. Not a specialist skill.

The starting point will be to put the van on stands and see which corner is actually making the noise - it can be very deceiving from the driver's seat. They'll then need to have a proper poke around, take the pads out and see if the calipers aren't evidently jammed.
 
My rear pads had shot it at around 60 thou this year, replaced all for corners before our extended trip in may this year cost me around £80 for a full set of genuine parts. But my warning light had come on and surprised it was the rears and not the fronts which had gone.
 
Lambeth Cali said:
Do you mean electrical indicators? On the dash? It’s a 2008 SE. Maybe not fitted to the rear pre 2010?

When I looked at discs earlier I couldn’t see anything and couldn’t actually really see the pads but honestly wouldn’t know what I was looking for.
Click to expand...
They’re fitted on my 2003 and have been for donkeys years. It’s just a single core lead embedded in the brake pad. When the pads wear, the cable earths out on the disk and flags a warning on the MFD.
 
Just be careful the calliper isn’t seized/starting to seize and dragging on the disc. They have a habit of doing so.
It can lead to overheating brakes and loss of pressure due to boiling the fluid.
Ask me how I know!
Sleep well. :thumb
 
Nick Stubbs said:
My rear pads had shot it at around 60 thou this year, replaced all for corners before our extended trip in may this year cost me around £80 for a full set of genuine parts. But my warning light had come on and surprised it was the rears and not the fronts which had gone.
Click to expand...
From what I read last night, on cars the fronts go first but on suvs and vans they are set up differently to deal with extra weight and load so the rears go first.
 
sidepod said:
Just be careful the calliper isn’t seized/starting to seize and dragging on the disc. They have a habit of doing so.
It can lead to overheating brakes and loss of pressure due to boiling the fluid.
Ask me how I know!
Sleep well. :thumb
Click to expand...
That would throw up a red light though yes?
Hope so.
 
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