I noticed at about 3,500 miles (I'm at 4100 now) that in first gear, under 10mph, there is a HORRIBLE grinding sound. It sounds as if metal is grinding with another piece of metal, or being dragged on the pavement. The sound is as if something is rotating, only thing I could think of is something in the brakes, or axel. I have hit a pothole 1-2 times at about 25-30mph, so unless that did this, I can't think of anything else but a factory problem.

Here's a complete discription of the problem:
1st gear only
Under 15mph only
Doesn't always occur, only sometimes
Have to be cruising at about 5-10mph, not acclerating
Sounds as if it's coming from the front of the car
Not sure if this relates, but I do have some brake squeek.


Anyone have this problem, heard of it, or have an idea what it could be? I'm going to take it to the dealship, but was hoping I can figure what it could be before, so I can suggest that problem to them. Hopefully it's under warrenty..

 

I was just thinking, could it be from the brakes? I think this because the sqeek and the grinding sound came at the same time, and I noticed when it was grinding, I heard a sqeek also.. What could be grinding on the brakes at under 15mph in 1st gear only?

 

Put your car in neutral and apply the brakes, from 20 mph.

If you do not get the grinding, it is not from your brakes!


flip side to this is to put the car in 1st and allow it to "coast down" in gear, without using the brakes, this way you can determine both problems at once.

It is possible to crack a brake pad, which would allow for dirt or even a small piece of gravel to enter the pad, which would sound as you describe.

The pothole should not have hurt your car, unless for some reason the wheel bearing went out.

Best bet is to go back out and report.

Either way dont sweat it, its fixable! This is what warranties are for!

 

just an idea, but just like if you open a door real slow it might squeek, but if you open it fast, it wont... meaning perhaps it only squeeks at a pitch you can hear when your going slow, but when going faster its not noticable, but not to say its not there.

 

I may have the same problem that you're describing, but it appears to be coming from the middle or rear of the car, on the passenger side. It does not occur all the time. It's not from the brakes, and it occurs when I am cruising in 2 or 3rd gear at around 20-25 mph.

I thought it was the throwout bearing or perhaps the differentials?

Anyone with ideas on this?

 

Whoever installed your wheels may have bent the splash shields behind the rotor on one of your front wheels. I had a friend who had wheels installed and noticed a grinding noise and found out the shield was slightly bent either when the old wheels were removed or the new wheels were put on. If that's the problem it is an easy fix, just pry it away from the rotor. It is just a thin piece of metal. You might want to check it out.

 

i experienced something of what you were describing. It was like a month or 2 ago. I have 3200 miles BTW. Anyways.. i backed out of my garage.. and there's a stop sign like 100 feet away so i'm usually in 1st gear goin about 10mph from my driveway up to the stop. before i got to the stop sign to make a full stop.. i experienced that grinding sound (felt the vibration too). Kinda scared me cuz it was so noticable. Hasn't happened since then. Sound like its coming from the axel's or around that vacinity. i dunno if i ran over a garbage lid or sumthin.. but i didn't see anything in my rear view mirror. And the sound..... can't even describe it. Just horrible. Makes you wanna cry or somethin.. well not really.. but u get the point. Also.. i don't have any splash/mud guards

 

Look for a small rock/pebble stuck between the brake pad and rotor. Depending where and how tightly it's stuck it will make a grinding noise that would make you think a wheel was about to fall off right in front of you.

I've had this happen over the years and it's usually where a pothole or new paving was done. A small tarry pebble will just stick itself on and get caught in the rotations of the brakes.

 

Sounds like a rock in the brakes to me too. That's happened to me before. Sounds worse than fingernails on a chalkboard.

 

I have approximately 2000 mile s and have not yet experienced your problem. I have a dashboard rattle when the car is cold, but that is all

 

EXACTLY! It sounds so much worse than that.. I want to cry! I realized today, as Ares said, IT IS AT HIGHER SPEEDS TOO! I just couldn't hear it because of the wind... It's getting louder now.. I'm getting much more worried.. It makes me want to cry. I'm getting some detailing done on Tuse.. going to see if the dude who owns the performance shop can find out what it is.. whatever it is, I'm 99% sure it's from the brakes. I haven't washed my rims in a while, hopefully a strong wash will get whatever rock or something it is in there out.... it sounds so horrible Any more suggestions??

ALSO... Does injen CAI void warrenty??

 

When I slid into the gravel at a track day, I had some pretty horrid grinding from some grains that got stuck in the brakes. Luckily it went away after a few laps.

I have also had some grinding from what I think is the left front brake when I'm backing out of parking spaces. It's happened about 4 times now, but that's with almost 15,000 miles.

Hopefully your problem is something similar.

Good luck!

-D'oh!

 

depends.. if something goes wrong with the engine and they can blame it on your CAI.. then yah. If you have window streaks still.. i don't think they can point to the CAI as the cause of the streaks

 

I looked carefully at my brakes yesterday, and saw that the rotor has a scratch all the way around, I think a rock is between the brake and the rotor, how do I get it out??

 

To clarify, it's not a scratch, its more of a engraving but not every deep all the way, in a perfect circle. Since I can't find a way to reach between the brake/rotor , how would I take whatever is in there out? Removing the rim, then disassembling the brake??

 

That sounds about right:
Take off the wheel and remove the caliper from the rotor.

I can't think of another way if you've got a pebble/stone that far in.

Before you go through all of the trouble are you CERTAIN there is only one rotor that is effected this way?

 

When you are in first gear, does the grinding sound appear when you take your foot off the gas pedal? If so, I have the same problem and I found out that my transmission needs a new input shaft bearing.