Rubbing Sound when driving - focus tdci 1.6 mk2

[daveyboy123]

hello all, hope someone can help.

basically my car has been driving fine, then all of a sudden after leaving my car a couple of days, my car wouldn't move from stationary, as though the brakes were fully locked on. i tried going back and forth and the front or back just lifted up, after a couple of mins the brakes freed up and i could move as normal. but since this occured, im getting a constant rubbing sound as though a pad is rubbing against the disc.

we've had the car jacked up and no play in any of the four wheels so don't think its bearings but in the front left wheel you can hear a bit of rubbing.

 

what could have happened, has pag gone a little hard. there is plenty of pad left and discs are fine as well.

 

many thanks

[dezwez]

rust on the disk just run them a bit should clear

[mjt]

After a run dab your hand on the wheel hub to see if it's getting hot. You could have a seized caliper piston which will overheat and ruin the pads and could warp the disc.

[daveyboy123]

I've been driving it around for about 150 miles since I've started hearing this noise and still no difference unfortunately. Noise does seem to change slightly when turning left or right but not by much, noise is permanently there and doesn't ease off, get worse or get better. I'm puzzled.

The front alloy wheels both left and right side are warm to touch is that what you mean but they are both like it. Not sure what you mean by wheel hub.

When we had the wheels off floor they turned around but front left was definitely a notable rub but it would turn still so brake caliper cannot be on still can it?

 

[mjt]

By wheel hub I mean the centre of the wheel rather than the rim. They may get slightly warm if you're doing a lot of stop-start driving, using the brakes fairly often but if you were to do a long uninterrupted run without braking, other than to stop at the end they shouldn't get that hot.

If the front left is noticeably rubbing I'd say that could well be a sticking piston, or at least starting to get sticky. If so it will only get worse over time. What tends to happen is that the area of the caliper bore outside the piston seal starts to corrode. The build-up of corrosion narrows the bore so the piston sticks. As the pads wear the piston seal starts to enter this area and the piston can then jam.

I had this happen. At first my suspicion was roused because the mpg figure took a hit. Steering & braking were apparently normal. I then found one wheel centre was hot. I took off the caliper, removed the piston and cleaned up the corrosion. That seemed to fix it and it ran fine for several months, although the garage found the pads needed replacing at the MOT because the overheating had made them crumbly. Then, while I was on holiday, the piston jammed again, so badly I could smell the pads burning, so I had to limp to a garage and get a new caliper fitted.

[daveyboy123]

Oh right I've not heard of that one. So could it just be rust build up that will probably clear or could it be a sticking caliper? If it was sticking though, surely the wheel would struggle to move around? When we lifted it off ground the wheel still span, there was no major issue just a bit of a rubbing sound.

I was advised that it's possible where the car has been left a couple of weeks without being used that the brake pad could have gone a little hard over time maybe causing a little more noise although apparently outside the car you can't hear anything. Only inside.

I'm just not sure now what to do for the best. Do I leave it a bit and hope it eases off? If it is a sticking caliper can they sort them selves out as in more I use it could it gradually get free again.

I'm assuming calipers aren't cheap if it did end up being that.

 

[Russ]

caliper from fordpartsuk is around £150! 

[daveyboy123]

Oh no that's not cheap at all, well hopefully it isn't that then and it is just a bit of rust.

The strange thing is that same noise occurs whether you are just driving or if you apply brakes. If it was a slightly stuck caliper, surely the noise would change when applying the brakes wouldn't they?

Anyway for someone that doesn't know too much mechanically to test. Both front wheels are warm after driving, not hot just warm so assume that as both are warm then that's normal.

[TomsFocus]

I'd buy a good used caliper rather than a brand new one, about a quarter of the price lol!

It 'could' be cured by removing, cleaning and regreasing the pads and slide pins.  Easy and cheap to try that first.  Whatever it is, it won't fix it self if you've done 150 miles with no change.

[daveyboy123]

Thanks again for the info, so in people's opinions then you think it won't go on its own, so it's not just rust etc that will burn off etc?

[TomsFocus]

Rust on discs wears off in a mile or two, if still the same after 150 miles it's got to be something more than that.

[tazzman600]

Since you admit to not being mechanically minded I'd take your car to Halfords or a local garage to check your brakes and do any repairs deemed necessary. Cost must not be a consideration where brakes are concerned. Do not buy used brake calipers as you have no idea of its condition. However reconditioned ones are best and you give them your old caliper thus saving quite a bit.

[daveyboy123]

Spoke with mechanic, said it sounds like the rear brake has become delaminated but can't tell without checking obviously. Not entirely sure what it means. If this is the case what sort of cost am I looking at?

[mjt]

If you have drums on the rear I'm guessing he means the brake lining has become unstuck from the shoe.

[TomsFocus]

As above.  But I'll be surprised if it is that.  It happened to me in a previous car, within 50 miles it got caught against the other shoe, locked the drum solid and couldn't be free'd so had to be recovered home.  Then took many hammers, crowbars and breaking hub pullers to remove...

I've been informed it doesn't happen with Focus drums though...as it's one of the reasons I hate drum brakes and try to avoid them as much as possible!

[daveyboy123]

Ah OK well he's going to check it over next week but from description I gave he thought that was the possible cause but I still think it's coming more from front of vehicle. Until he can check it though it's hard to diagnose I guess but hopefully be able to locate cause of problem. 

Do you think it could be an expensive big job then or will it be under £200?

[TomsFocus]

Depends what the problem is lol...

If the shoes need changing (inc brake cleanup/grease) I'd estimate ~£100 in parts and an hours labour to do both sides, so £150ish.

If the front pads need changing (inc cleanup and regrease) you're looking at about ~£30 in parts and an hours labour for both sides so £80ish.

But obviously if a caliper needs changing, or if he can get away with just cleaning rather than replacement the price could be very different.

 

[daveyboy123]

Thank you for this I know it's hard to guesstimate but gives me a good idea on potential costs.

[daveyboy123]

Got car checked out. Not sure what the lock up of the brakes was but thinks unrelated and more than likely handbrake had stuck momentarily.

 

The rubbing, almost knocking sound heard he said is wheel bearing. He checked and span all wheels but front drivers side wheel had a noise when spinning and said that it's wheel bearing so looks like the cause has been located. 

Getting it fixed end of next week but after checking it all he said it'll be OK driving around town until fix is done next week.

[daveyboy123]

Also, the other thing I wanted to ask is that the noise happens pretty much all time so in a straight line, going left is more pronounced and going right slightly more than going left. Would this just be the one bearing as only having one replaced.

[tazzman600]

If one bearing on one side is shot then you can bet your last penny the other side isn't far behind. As with brake pads change both sides .

[TomsFocus]

I wouldn't change wheel bearings in pairs personally, they take difference abuse from potholes and kerbs etc so don't tend to fail at the same time in my experience.  It cant hurt to change both at once but if you need funds elsewhere I really wouldn't change a 'good' one for the sake of it.  

[daveyboy123]

With the noise being when steering left right and centre would it still be just the one bearing in your opinion? 

Tomsfocus- mechanic had same response and said that just changing the one that's faulty at moment is enough and no need to change both. So going with that. 

Just hoping car doesn't get anyworse over next week. Just driving steady at moment 

[Dee_82]

yeah, change the one, it wont make bugger all difference to driving, unlike suspension or brakes, and replacing it will require the same amount of work and costs now as it would in 6 months time.  No point changing it until its gone IMO.

[daveyboy123]

Thank you for all the replies.

Just going to get the one changed for now as everyone has suggested.

Still a bit worried though as driving about the noise seems to get slightly louder when turning right but also slightly louder when turning left. All the things I've read say one direction it will go loud and the other direction would go quiet depending on which side is worn but that's what's puzzling me as whether I turn right or left I still get a louder noise, possible more of a noise turning right, but it's my right sight front wheel bearing that's failing. Any ideas why I'm getting it noisy all the time?