Mystery Noise-need expertise!
Discussion
I'm in need of help and for some reason nobody can figure out what it is. My girlfriend has a 2007 subaru legacy. Beautiful car, very reliable, mint condition and has just turned 100k.
So we just had a new clutch, ceramic brakes and rotors and stabilizer links and new tired put on. Everything was fine. That was about 2 months ago. About 2 weeks ago a noise started that no one can seem to figure out. I can't stress enough that it is completely sporadic with seemingly no pattern to it. What happens is, out of nowhere a loud scratching noise, almost like that of the chatter clip, will become present from the front driver side wheel. And just as suddenly will go away within 1-2 miles of driving. It begins at any speed, anytime.
It sounds almost like the dust shield behind the rotor is scraping against, well, the rotor. Its extremely loud and metallic sounding, but again starts and stops for no particular reason. Its a terrible sound. Now, when I press the brakes, even lightly it goes away until I lift off the brakes and then it continues. Another thing I also noticed is that if I make a turn let's say into a gas station and the wheel is turned significantly inside OR outside (meaning if the tires are pointing significantly) all the way out or in the noise stops, but resumes once straightened out again.
The mechanic looked at it but can't find anything touching or out of place but suggested it was the ceramics touching the rotors ever so slightly. I don't think so, and even if it were the case surely it could of and would have been adjusted.
I took the wheel of and inspected it for myself but see nothing clearly evident. One more thing I MAY have noticed, is that it usually starts when we are going down this one particularly steep hill by our house, and before the hill is very rough road. But again, it does this noise out of nowhere when on smooth roads and straight roads, but always does it before this hill.
I'm thinking perhaps the caliper needs to be greased? Perhaps its sticking on that one side and causing the brakes to slightly rub the rotor? When I had the wheel of i took note that the dust shield was not touching anything.
Any help or insight into what this may be is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.
So we just had a new clutch, ceramic brakes and rotors and stabilizer links and new tired put on. Everything was fine. That was about 2 months ago. About 2 weeks ago a noise started that no one can seem to figure out. I can't stress enough that it is completely sporadic with seemingly no pattern to it. What happens is, out of nowhere a loud scratching noise, almost like that of the chatter clip, will become present from the front driver side wheel. And just as suddenly will go away within 1-2 miles of driving. It begins at any speed, anytime.
It sounds almost like the dust shield behind the rotor is scraping against, well, the rotor. Its extremely loud and metallic sounding, but again starts and stops for no particular reason. Its a terrible sound. Now, when I press the brakes, even lightly it goes away until I lift off the brakes and then it continues. Another thing I also noticed is that if I make a turn let's say into a gas station and the wheel is turned significantly inside OR outside (meaning if the tires are pointing significantly) all the way out or in the noise stops, but resumes once straightened out again.
The mechanic looked at it but can't find anything touching or out of place but suggested it was the ceramics touching the rotors ever so slightly. I don't think so, and even if it were the case surely it could of and would have been adjusted.
I took the wheel of and inspected it for myself but see nothing clearly evident. One more thing I MAY have noticed, is that it usually starts when we are going down this one particularly steep hill by our house, and before the hill is very rough road. But again, it does this noise out of nowhere when on smooth roads and straight roads, but always does it before this hill.
I'm thinking perhaps the caliper needs to be greased? Perhaps its sticking on that one side and causing the brakes to slightly rub the rotor? When I had the wheel of i took note that the dust shield was not touching anything.
Any help or insight into what this may be is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.
ESOG said:
It sounds almost like the dust shield behind the rotor is scraping against, well, the rotor.
I'm pretty sure all Subarus do this at some point. I know mine did.I think you are on to something with the dust shield. I think its very easy for a bit or tarred road material to get stuck in there and set off the noise.
trickywoo said:
I'm pretty sure all Subarus do this at some point. I know mine did.
I think you are on to something with the dust shield. I think its very easy for a bit or tarred road material to get stuck in there and set off the noise.
Ill check again, but do u think that by pressing the brakes even gently woild affect it by making the noise go away until I let off the brakes again?I think you are on to something with the dust shield. I think its very easy for a bit or tarred road material to get stuck in there and set off the noise.
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