dhashigu

08 Element, Gurgling Grinding Noise under dash when Braking
i have a 2008 element, i just purchased 2-3 weeks ago.replaced the front brakes on the first day. a couple weeks later every once in awhile when applying the brake i hear a gurgling/grinding sound, only when travelling at low speeds and applying the brakes.
I was sure it was the brakes, but got the wife to drive and stop while i was outside the car, and could not hear the noise at all from outside the car. yet it is audible and sounds like it is coming from the front drivers tire while sitting inside the car. I even opened the hood and listened for it standing with in a few feet of the car and still could not hear it.

with this in mind i ruled out the rotors and started looking for other possibilities.
The sound comes on when you depress the brakes, is not affected by steering side to side, or how hard you press on the brake pedal, nor is it consistent it will do it a bunch of times in a row then stop and not do it for days. Also does not matter if it is in neutral or drive. i suppose i can try it with the vehicle off next.

Any ideas guys (ABS?? i know how it usually sounds like a buzzer, my previous vehicle was a 2001 sienna)

B serious

iTrader: (1)

Does the noise only happen once, right as you start to drive after turning the car on? Or does it make the noise every time you stop from a low speed?

dhashigu

It is mainly at low speeds as u r applying the brakes, but it does not do it all the time, sometimes u can get it to do it multiple times in a row (like the other day I was able to get my wife to stop start multiple times in a parking lot while I listened from the outside and inside), and other times it does not do it for days. lately it has not done it for a week.

u can only hear it from inside the car

B serious

iTrader: (1)

Which components on the brakes did you replace?

dhashigu

Rotors and pads, the other pads where good but the rotors were called for the safety

ryanplayjoint

Sounds like the master may be bad and the booster is filling up with brake fluid. Listen real close to the booster

dhashigu

It has been two weeks since it made the noise. Though initially when I was standing next to the car, trying to hear the sound i did at one point have the hood open and my head in the engine bay and still could not hear anything. Drivers and passenger side, my wife could still hear the sound clearly inside the vehicle

philcivicjordan

I had endless brake problems with my 99 civic over the last few years I tried different brands of pads everything.

Seeing as you've already singled out a few things have you taken the caliper off and checked out the seal around the piston? Could possibly be a sticky/failing caliper that's the only time I've had a inconsistent noise issue with brakes anyway.

dhashigu

Thanks for the reply,
Because I cannot hear the noise standing beside the tire, I don't believe it is the actual rotors pads or callipers. The sound is very clear from inside the cab, and is is definitely coming from te drivers side.

philcivicjordan

Ah in that case it could be what the guy said about the master cylinder. Could also be the servo

Have you tried re-bleeding the system?

dhashigu

I also cannot hear the noise with my ear near the master cylinder.
What servo r u talking about? Where is it located?

philcivicjordan

The servo should be located behind the master. It runs on a vacuum check the hoses leading to it they may be damaged or the servo itself could be on it way out.

Servo=booster.