Hey,

I don't drive the hatch that much anymore because I've got my dad's car, but I drove it the other day and after 20miles the front brakes started making a light grinding noise. I don't want to say it sounded like the pad on the rotor because that usually doesn't make any grinding noise, but the noise was coming from my brakes. How would a locked up caliper sound? I'll check the life of the pads, maybe they're toast. What could it be?

 

usually it will pulsate after driving, when they get enough heat in them to warp, or it will cause a pull when braking.

 

I drove the car again this morning and I think it does sound like the pad is rubbing against the rotor. You can only hear it at lower speeds when there is no wind blowing. When I brake hard, it'll stop. Think this is a locked up caliper?

So the only damage it will do is warp the rotor and ruin the pad?

 

maybe your pads are too low? metal grind rotor?

 

try just lubing the slides on the calipers you have. pick up some brake lubricant from the parts store (in those handy little one use packs by the register) and put some on the slides. the slides are what the caliper slides back and forth on and are what the bolts to the caliper go thru. push the dust cover back a little and lube up!

 

I knew mine was locking up when I was on a bit of an incline in neutral, but the car wouldn't roll. Also if I was rolling slowly the car would stop. Since the car has been sitting, it could be just some corrosion built up on the surface of the rotors though.

 

One surefire way to tell is to jack up the car in the front (so both tires are off of the ground) and the car is in neutral. Spin the tires and see if one drags more than the other.

 

Ok, I'm going to take everyones suggestions and try them all out after my class today. I'll let you know.