Efficiency

For the past couple of weeks now I've noticed a loud metallic grinding sound coming from my right front wheel, sometimes it sounds quite similar to the sound of sharpening a knife on a steel sharpener, oscillating every half second or so, other times it sounds constant like dragging a piece of metal along concrete or steel. It is only when the car is in motion, and does not change pitch due to speed (either acceleration or deceleration without braking). However, applying the brake immediately changes the pitch of the sound, making it much softer (even if my speed hasn't changed that much). The sound usually goes away just before I come to a complete stop; sometimes it will return right when I start moving again, other times it will go away for the rest of the day. Doesn't always happen right away when I'm driving, it will be quiet until I'm halfway to work, then make a few knife sounds, then be quite again. Other times it will make the metal dragging noise right away and not stop until I've come to several complete stop a few times. Driving performance is not noticeably affected and my brake pedal doesn't vibrate when the car is making the noise.

I really hope it isn't a bearing, from what I've read this doesn't seem consistent with a bearing. Squealer bar maybe? or something stuck in the pad? I haven't taken the wheel off to check for debris yet.

Thank you!

claymore

Sure sounds like a brake warning scrapper. Or if you don't have a lot of miles on them a rock stuck between the rotor and dust shield.

Easy enough to check grab a flashlight and look at the rotor between the rim spokes and you can see how much pad is remaining.

Efficiency

Thanks! I will pop the wheel off and take a look.