Driving a car is fun. But at times, cars are faced with some issues that are annoying even to the driver. You may be driving your car and suddenly hear a loud metal scraping sound. Such a sound is hard to detect and you need to visit the mechanic to figure it out. A metal scraping sound might be caused by a number of things such as a worn-out brake pad, a bent brake splash shield, a loose wheel bearing, or also a peculiar item or debris getting stuck in the brakes. When you hear such a sound, you should tackle it quickly so that it doesn’t put your life in jeopardy. Sometimes you may find squealing noise while driving, but metal scraping sounds happen for different reasons.
Top 6 Reason of Metal Scraping Sound when Driving
Worn out brake pads
When your brake pads are worn out, there is a piece of metal that rides on the rotor. This metal makes a loud metal scraping noise that is not very comforting. In such a case, you will be required to replace these worn out brake pads with new ones so that the metal scraping doesn’t come in contact with the rotor, thus leading to the disgusting noise. Visit your mechanic and ensure you replace the brake pads with quality new ones.
Inferior brake pads
Also, another common cause of a metal scraping sound may be as a result of inferior brake pads installed on your car. Cheap brake pads usually have huge metal flakes in the brake material that drags along the rotor resulting to the noise. This noise might disappear when the brake pads wear away. Another thing is to ensure that you visit a professional mechanic to properly fix for you the brake pads.
Bent brake splash shield
Also, a bent brake splash shield on one of the brakes may cause a scraping sound to be heard. This is because the bent brake splash shield may be up against the brake rotor as you drive your car. So, when you pull away, hey come into contact making the metal scraping noise. In case you hear such a noisy sound, don’t ignore it and see your mechanic right away for repair works.
In some situations, the metal scraping noise can be caused by rust overnight. This is mostly the case with cars that are packed outside. Rust normally builds on the rotor around the impression of the pad. When you drive your car in the morning, you might hear this strange sound. All you need to do is to make the necessary repair by removing the rust on your rotors. If the pads are of low quality, change them with quality ones so that they don’t rust easily.
Loose wheel bearing
Another situation that might cause the scarping sound is a loose wheel bearing. A loose wheel may allow the brake rotor to scrape against the caliper bracket when the wheels are turned to one side. Go to a mechanic for them to service and repair your car for a smooth and safe driving.
An item stuck in the brakes
Finally, another metal scraping noise may be heard and it may not be necessarily caused by the brakes but the rotors. If a metal or debris is stuck and is drug across a small plate, you will hear a scraping noise. This is an indication that the item is stuck between the backing plate and rotor. This usually happens when you drive on a road with a lot of pebbles or other items. Get the mechanic to look at the car and remove the debris or metal for a smooth driving of your car.
Conclusion
For you to drive safely at all times, you need to take good care if your car. Every time you hear a strange noise such as the one we’ve discussed above, you should see a mechanic to identify the problem before you find yourself in big trouble. As discussed in detail above, a metal scraping sound may be as a result of worn out brake pads, loose wheel bearings, a bent brake splash shield and a metal or item stuck in the brakes. All of these issues can be handled by seeing a mechanic who will inspect and make the necessary repairs to your car.
Summary of Contents
Kevin Nicholas is an automotive technician who is a genius at software and hardware-related issues. He manually tested more than a hundred OBD scanners and gave his honest opinion on whether the device was worth the money or not. His in-depth OBD review articles help people choose the right product, whether it is a European, American, or Asian vehicle. He completed his Automotive Specialized Training Course at Universal Technical Institute and has more than 15 years of experience in the field.
Chevy malibu 1997 while driving when I turn the wheel to the left the front end makes a metal grinding sound.Ive taken the wheel off to check the bearing but it seems ok.I had the rotor turned and the brakes look good.What could it be ?
It really helped when you stated that items can get caught in the brake pads of a car and produce scraping and screeching noises. My friends and I were alarmed when we were driving the other day and heard a very high-pitched screeching noise when my friend hit the brakes to stop at a traffic light. We were afraid we had hit something, or that the brakes have given out, but since my friend’s car was only purchased recently, it would be best if we look for a brake repair service that can help us check for any foreign objects that might have made its way to my friend’s brake pads.