About a month ago, my car started making a high pitched noise every time I braked.

Today, I heard a grinding noise whenever I made sudden brakes.

The question is: how much time do I have left before I put myself into trouble? Can my car withstand another 30 miles on it (i.e. allowing me to get to work)?

Sorry it's vague - I'm perplexed as to what to do.

ooooh you're grinding your rotors and that's gonna cost a lot.  get new breaks ASAP!

do you enjoy vehicular russian roulette? go get your brakes fixed.

the squeaking you heard is a sensor in your break pads to tell you they need to be changed.  once you get to the grinding point..that's bad.

Devon:
low pitched grinding noises are not good things.  (In general, low pitched sounds on cars are worse, for some reason).

You probably should take it to a mechanic as soon as possible.  Having a car that suddenly has no breaking ability would be a bad thing.

want me to come and pick you up?:)

You are probably fine. Get a brake job done soon tho. The longer you wait, the more damage you're doing to your rotors. Which you'll have to replace instead of resurfacing. (from what it sounds like.) The high pitched sound is the indicator that you need new brake pads. It's a feeler that is designed to do that. But the grinding sounds a little worse like you're beyond the indicator and close to the end of the brake pad life.

this is what i get for buying a car that already had 200k miles on it...

if it's over $200, i'm giving up and getting a new car.

kev!  no no no, not fine!  grinding is not fine!

the difference in paying for new break pads and new rotors is huge!

What Marcella N. said... the high pitched squeal you heard was the "warning strip" many brake manufacturers embed in the pad so a driver will know its time to replace the brakes.  The grinding is not good.  Rotors are very expensive.  You're hearing the bare pad mount chewing up the rotor.  Next will be the bare caliper piston tearing itself up.  Replacing calipers means you'll probably need to sell your first born son.

Got it?

you're probably eating your rotors....I wouldn't recommend driving it in such condition, the rotors can overheat and and there is a risk of fire...though unlikely....any you'll likely need new rotors....if you are going to do it go easy on the brakes and allow plenty of distace between you and the car ahead of you....better yet just get it fixed and you won't have to worry about it or buy new rotors...

New cars need brake pads, too...

I'm hearing the squeaking noise in my brakes now.  Maybe I should take my car in to get some new pads.

pad party!

wait...what?

omg Don you're the first man who ever said I was right


Devon do you live in SF?  Girrrrrl I wouldn't  be riding my bad breaks on these hills.. hellz to the NO

no I live in Oakland...the mechanic I want to see is in Lafayette...so about 10 miles away

use public transportation and reduce that super sweet pollution footprint you have going on.

True. The high pitched chirping was from brake pad wear indicators. It's like a little birdie telling you to change your pads before you damage something more expensive, like rotors.

The bad news is that you probaly have damaged your rotors if you heard grinding.

The good news is you don't necessarily need them replaced. If the grooves scraped into them by the pads metal backing (it only started today?) the rotors can likely be resurfaced for about $30 each. Plus, it's highly likely that it's only the fronts that need attention, since they handle 70-80% of your total braking.

Much depends on what kind of car it is. Unfortunately, rotors are all too often regarded as disposable (and expensive). Don't fall for it. Make the shop tell you what the serviceable limit (minimum thickness for full operation) is for your model BEFORE they measure the damage. Too many people fall for 'new' when having yours resurfaced is just as effective and a helluva lot less expensive.

1 minute ago Stig M. says:

use public transportation and reduce that super sweet pollution footprint you have going on.

-----

Believe me, if I lived in an area where that was practical, I would. But seeing as how I live in Oakland, work in Pinole, and go to school in Hayward, that ain't gonna happen.

What's the year, make, and model of your car?

94 toyota camry

can't rideshare? bart? Eh, whatever. Best bay area mechanic I know is in Santa Clara... sorry I can't be of use.

I know, but he's the family mechanic and has done wonders for my car in the past

hey hey, that stereotype was pretty clever.

Devon it's probably worth getting new break pads for.  A Camry will take you to 300,000 miles if you're good to her : )

This is an estimated guess.........

yeah, the poor baby is at 227k at the moment...it's more hate than love at this point, though.

You gotta kiss the dash and talk sweet to her..  Cereally

Is there a possibility of taking the day off tomorrow to get your brake pads replaced and rotors recurfaced/turned? Everyone here is right,  it's basically metal on metal at this point- if you keep driving its going to cost you MUCH more to repair... i learned tthis the hard way in high school.

i just decided to take the day off - sucks cause I hadn't had anything planned for a substitute so the kiddies are going to lose a day.

thanks for the advice and help, everyone - I truly appreciate it!

anyone have any other recs for mechanics near lake merritt?

my go-to guy was booked for today, and I've gotten a few recs but they've been in shadier areas.

(I'll check out yours, ruth)

Devon,

I had the exact same car as you for a long time. Everyone is right: get your brakes fixeds ASAP - seriously. If you don't, one time you're going to hit the brake, the pedal will go all the way down to the floor, and nothing will happen. You definitely need new pads and probably new calipers as well.

I would not drive the car until you can get this fixed. Whatever else you're doing, it's not worth your life.

just so you know the real price of rotors if you do need them. i see others telling you they are very expensive. if $200 is very expensive well then i guess they are very expensive. grooves can be turned out and smoothed. it depends on how long they have been grinding.

autopartswarehouse.com/m…

tons of locations and fast.

midas.com

Devon-

It sounds like you might be at that fun time in your vehicle's career where it becomes a money pit.... it might be worth calling it, and getting a new whip!

Time to call Car Talk on NPR.

cartalk.com

It's your rotors, they are shot, you're only making it worse when you hear the grinding.  The only driving you should do is straight to the mechanic.

Thanks for all of your help!

As an update, and in case someone searching Talk threads finds this in the future:

I went to Dan Chin Auto over in Berkeley, and they did a decent job.
yelp.com/biz/dSIZZZ0qyJb…

$245 for replacement rotors and brake pads, and me realizing that it is certainly time to get a new car.

Good job Devon.....brakes are important...glad your safe.