Ford Mondeo Mk4 2L Diesel - Unusual sound when braking

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Tue 4 Jun 2013 10:57
Ford Mondeo Mk4 2L Diesel - Unusual sound when braking - HooverDam

Hi,

For the past few days I have noticed an unusual sound when braking. It seems to come from the rear of the car, and my wife swears that it is only from the right side (although I'm not sure).

When I start braking the sound is not there, but as I brake harder, the sound suddenly appears and then stops the moment I ease off the brake.

It is a little hard to describe the sound. It is not a grinding as such, much perhaps it sounds more like I am braking on a gravel surface.

I have recently been carrying quite heavy loads in the boot (taking broken concrete to our local tip), and I'm wondering if I might have caused some damage.

Initially I thought that it might be tiny bits of concrete that were moving around in the boot (or some other space they might have fallen into), but the more I listen for the sound, the more it sounds like that isn't the case, and I don't hear a similar sound when accelerating.

Aside from the sound, braking and general handling seems normal.

Just wondered if anybody might have any ideas.

Thanks.

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Tue 4 Jun 2013 12:14
Ford Mondeo Mk4 2L Diesel - Unusual sound when braking - bathtub tom

>>as I brake harder, the sound suddenly appears and then stops the moment I ease off the brake.

Could it be your ABS operating, due to an under-inflated tyre perhaps?

Could you rear brakes be worn down to nothing?

I'd also be checking around the rear wheels to see if there's any scuff marks caused by something moving when the brakes are applied (that means taking the wheels off).

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Tue 4 Jun 2013 12:18
Ford Mondeo Mk4 2L Diesel - Unusual sound when braking - mondeo man 2.2

Hi, it might sound silly, but are your brake pads worn. My rear pads wore out before the front (never had that before).

You could run it in to an ATS 0r similar for a free brake check.

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Tue 4 Jun 2013 13:00
Ford Mondeo Mk4 2L Diesel - Unusual sound when braking - HooverDam

Thanks for the input guys.

I had the car MOTed about a month ago and there was no mention (not even an advisory) regarding the brake pads, so as far as I can tell the pads should be fine.

It doesn't feel like the ABS, and I inflated the tyres yesterday (36 psi front, 41 psi rear). They were a little low, but not much.

Maybe it'll need a deeper investigation, like taking the wheels off as Bathtub Tom suggests.

I really wish that I could describe the sound better, certainly sounds like it could be something rubbing/grinding somewhere, but the best that I can describe it is probably sliding on gravel. It is only right at the end of the braking, just before I ease off.

Is there any chance that I might have deformed something by carrying a load that was too heavy?

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Tue 4 Jun 2013 14:54
Ford Mondeo Mk4 2L Diesel - Unusual sound when braking - Cyd

Thanks for the input guys.

I had the car MOTed about a month ago and there was no mention (not even an advisory) regarding the brake pads, so as far as I can tell the pads should be fine.

Don't rely on an MoT to tell you when your brake pads are worn. You should check them for yourself. There is no requirement for the MoT tester to advise you of worn pads and in any case on lots of cars the pads can't be seen very well if at all without removing the wheel.

Many pads have a metal "tongue" that contacts the disc and makes a noise when worn to minimum. Your first course of action is to check the pad wear. Unless specified elsewhere in vehicle manual, pad material is at the end of its life at 3mm.

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Tue 4 Jun 2013 17:44
Ford Mondeo Mk4 2L Diesel - Unusual sound when braking - TeeCee

Many pads have a metal "tongue" that contacts the disc and makes a noise when worn to minimum.

I had a car with that system once. It didn't sound anything like a gravelly noise, it sounded like what it was: Metal on metal contact.

Exactly the same noise you'd expect if it had worn its pads right down to the metal. Didn't half make me jump as I'd looked at them not too long before and had 'em down as "change soon, not tearingly urgent".

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Tue 4 Jun 2013 18:21
Ford Mondeo Mk4 2L Diesel - Unusual sound when braking - bathtub tom

I've heard it too, the only sound worse was dragging fingernails down a blackboard.

Grabs the attention though!

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