All sound guides / Symptom guide
Grinding noise when braking
Stop driving and get help if you notice any of these:
- The brake pedal sinks, feels soft, or the car takes longer to stop; or you hear metal grinding when braking
- The steering feels loose, pulls hard, or a wheel wobbles or clunks
- Smoke, a burning smell, or any fluid leaking that smells like fuel
- A red warning light for brakes, oil pressure or engine temperature, or a flashing check-engine light
- A loud bang or clunk followed by a change in how the car handles
Pull over where it is safe, turn off the engine, and arrange a tow to a repair shop. If there is fire or smoke inside the car, get everyone out and call 911.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Only a qualified mechanic who inspects your car can tell you what is wrong.
Grinding as you press the brake pedal.
A grinding sound when you press the brake pedal usually means hard parts are rubbing where soft friction material should be. Because brakes are a safety system, treat a new grinding noise seriously and get it looked at promptly. This page lists the usual causes, but only an inspection can say which applies to your car.
Sources and limits
How this guide is made: we write these guides with the help of AI tools and check the facts about car parts against published sources listed on each page. Most sources do not confirm the link between a part and a specific noise. These guides are not written or reviewed by a certified mechanic.
Stop-and-tow conditions to consider
These possible conditions need urgent attention. They are not a diagnosis of your car.
- Brake pads worn down to the metal backing — Stop and arrange a tow
- Scored or heavily rusted brake disc — Stop and arrange a tow
- Debris or a stone caught near the disc — Stop and arrange a tow
- Sticking brake caliper dragging a pad — Stop and arrange a tow
- Rear drum brake shoes or drum worn — Stop and arrange a tow
More warning signs for this sound
- The brake pedal sinks, feels soft, or the car takes longer to stop
- A loud, continuous metal-on-metal grinding that does not stop when you ease off the pedal, or that comes with a pulling or shaking car
- A red brake warning light is on together with the noise
- The steering feels loose or a wheel wobbles or clunks
- Smoke or a burning smell from a wheel
Common causes
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Only a qualified mechanic who inspects your car can tell you what is wrong.
These are possible causes, not a ranked list. Cause order does not show likelihood. The noise connections are our general summary. The linked sources explain the parts and, only where noted, the sound. Labels are deliberately cautious, because a description can't show how far a fault has gone. They are not findings about your car. The same part can carry a different label on another page, for example where the sound itself is a stop-driving warning sign or where a row also names another part. If anything in the stop-driving box applies, follow that first. Stop-and-tow conditions appear first; the remaining names are alphabetical. Safety badges describe priorities, not likelihood or permission to keep driving.
Stop and arrange a tow
Brake pads worn down to the metal backing
- Why it may make a sound
- Once the friction material is gone, the steel backing plate rubs on the disc, which scrapes and scores it and cuts braking power.
- What you may notice
- Usually on every stop, often louder as the pads wear further; a squeal may have come first
Have a professional inspect it.
- Learn more: Disc brake — facts drawn from Wikipedia; CC BY-SA 4.0. Checked 2026-11-05. Wording is our own. The source explains the part. It does not confirm the link to this noise.
- Learn more: Brake pad — facts drawn from Wikipedia; CC BY-SA 4.0. Checked 2026-11-05. Wording is our own. The source explains the part. It does not confirm the link to this noise.
Stop and arrange a tow
Debris or a stone caught near the disc
- Why it may make a sound
- A small stone or dirt between the disc and its shield or pad can make a brief grinding or scraping noise.
- What you may notice
- Sudden onset, may come and go
Have a professional inspect it.
- Learn more: Disc brake — facts drawn from Wikipedia; CC BY-SA 4.0. Checked 2026-11-05. Wording is our own. The source explains the part. It does not confirm the link to this noise.
Stop and arrange a tow
Rear drum brake shoes or drum worn
- Why it may make a sound
- Worn drum linings or a damaged drum can grind when the shoes press on the drum.
- What you may notice
- Typically from the rear wheels on cars with rear drum brakes
Have a professional inspect it.
- Learn more: Drum brake — facts drawn from Wikipedia; CC BY-SA 4.0. Checked 2026-11-05. Wording is our own. The source explains the part. It does not confirm the link to this noise.
Stop and arrange a tow
Scored or heavily rusted brake disc
- Why it may make a sound
- A disc damaged by worn pads, or rusty after sitting, can grind or scrape as the pads pass over it.
- What you may notice
- Often after the car sat unused, or on every stop if the disc is scored
Have a professional inspect it.
- Learn more: Disc brake — facts drawn from Wikipedia; CC BY-SA 4.0. Checked 2026-11-05. Wording is our own. The source explains the part. It does not confirm the link to this noise.
Stop and arrange a tow
Sticking brake caliper dragging a pad
- Why it may make a sound
- A caliper that does not release keeps a pad rubbing on the disc, wearing it unevenly and creating noise and heat.
- What you may notice
- Noise may continue while rolling; one wheel may smell hot or the car may pull
Have a professional inspect it.
- Learn more: Disc brake — facts drawn from Wikipedia; CC BY-SA 4.0. Checked 2026-11-05. Wording is our own. The source explains the part. It does not confirm the link to this noise.
NHTSA complaint counts and recalls
Use NHTSA’s vehicle lookup to check complaint counts for your make, model and model year. No vehicle-specific counts or recall results are displayed on this page.
Component labels to look for: SERVICE BRAKES.
Complaints are reports from owners and are not verified by NHTSA. Counts are not defect rates or proof that a problem exists.
Check open recalls for your exact vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Enter a VIN only on NHTSA’s site; we do not collect it.
The retrieved data used here consists only of component labels, not your vehicle’s counts or recall status.
Recall, complaint and vehicle data: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs, retrieved 2026-11-05. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA or the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Before an inspection
Tell a repair shop what the sound is like, when you first noticed it and any warning lights or handling changes. This guide does not provide repair steps or identify a single fault. Follow the stop-driving guidance above.
Send a correction if a fact or source needs attention.