What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
Honda Civic - Worn brake pads and sc***ing sound - Halmerend
At the last main dealer service in January I was told that all the brakes were around 75% worn so I planned to replace them all later in the year. Today however I can hear a grating noise on and off as I’ve been driving. Car is a 2018 with 33,000 miles on the clock.

My question is: Is this grating noise the sound of the discs being damaged or is it a warning mechanism of some sort to tell me that the pads need replacing?

Honda Civic - Worn brake pads and sc***ing sound - Xileno

You've not said how many miles covered since January. It could be the pads are now worn or it might be something else causing the noise. It needs investigation ASAP.

Honda Civic - Worn brake pads and sc***ing sound - elekie&a/c doctor
It’s the low pad material warning “scr apers “ commonly used on Honda cars . Need changing soon

Edited by elekie&a/c doctor on 20/05/2024 at 22:12

Honda Civic - Worn brake pads and sc***ing sound - Halmerend
Probably around 3,500 miles since the service. So it’s a warning noise rather than a noise caused by damage to metal. Car’s booked in tomorrow, hopefully the discs won’t be damaged then.
Honda Civic - Worn brake pads and sc***ing sound - Andrew-T
Probably around 3,500 miles since the service. So it’s a warning noise rather than a noise caused by damage to metal. Car’s booked in tomorrow, hopefully the discs won’t be damaged then.

If your pads are worn enough for metal-metal contact you would know about it. Terrible noise, I heard it once from a pool car I took out. Drove it on gears and the handbrake as much as I could.

Honda Civic - Worn brake pads and sc***ing sound - catsdad

Both Hondas I had (Accord and Civic) needed brake pads from about 30k and pads and discs around 60k. The Accord was a company car. These cars were run up to 4 years or 60k and none of my many other company cars ever needed pads or discs. It’s a small sample but I reckon Hondas are relatively hard on brakes.

Honda Civic - Worn brake pads and sc***ing sound - Halmerend

Thanks All.

Just seems odd that there’s no warning light and you have to rely on a sc***ing noise to tell you that your pads are low. Particularly on a car with so much technology.

Honda Civic - Worn brake pads and sc***ing sound - Falkirk Bairn

It might not be the pads/disk.

Man years ago I had a Honda making a "grinding noise" - turns out it was s stone thrown up on the road that was causing the problem.

Fixed quickly once on the ramps - no charge in those days - probably would want £100 today to "diagnose the problem"

Honda Civic - Worn brake pads and sc***ing sound - galileo

Thanks All.

Just seems odd that there’s no warning light and you have to rely on a sc***ing noise to tell you that your pads are low. Particularly on a car with so much technology.

I've had pads with a thin strip of steel attached which was intended to touch the disc to give a warning noise when pads wore thin. Cheaper and possibly more reliable than electronic indicators (though I have had pads with an embedded wire to warn of wear)

Honda Civic - Worn brake pads and sc***ing sound - Halmerend
All replaced today and each pad was on its last legs. I forgot that they don’t work very well when you first brake! Caught me by surprise.
Honda Civic - Worn brake pads and sc***ing sound - daveyjp

Screeching brake pads are favoured by Japanese manufacturer to indicate low pads but you'd know that from when you read the manual ;-).

Honda Civic - Worn brake pads and sc***ing sound - Halmerend
Have you seen the size of the manual?!!
Honda Civic - Worn brake pads and sc***ing sound - focussed
Have you seen the size of the manual?!!

I just checked my Accord manual looking up "B" for brakes in the index at the back and it advises:-

"If you hear a continuous metallic friction sound when applying the brakes, the brake pads need to be replaced. Have the vehicle checked by a dealer."

Honda Civic - Worn brake pads and sc***ing sound - edlithgow

Thanks All.

Just seems odd that there’s no warning light and you have to rely on a sc***ing noise to tell you that your pads are low. Particularly on a car with so much technology.

Japanese have a preference for things that actually work.

Cultural thing. Eroded but still there.

Chinese, not so much.

Perhaps your next car?