Car help from car duders please!

Avatar image for hippocrit
hippocrit

290

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Hi there,

I posted car trouble before and got great answers, so I'm back for more. I have a 2009 Rav4 that squeals when I tap the breaks and makes the Star Wars power down sound (think turning off stuff in the Death Star) when I break more heavily to come to a complete stop.

The squeal sounds about the same as when you need new break pads.

When the car was checked at the shop it seems my break pads are good until at least the fall and the techs did not hear the sound. As soon as my wife picked it up she heard the power down sound on breaking and went back to take the tech with her on the drive. Of course, the car didn't make the sound. The guy took a look at the passenger side front wheel well and mentioned something like "wheel barrel balance issue" (that's what my wife said). He said it wasn't dangerous and that the sound would get much worse before it became something we needed to get fixed.

Does anybody know what this is, and if so, is it something I should rush to fix?

Avatar image for tireyo
Tireyo

6710

Forum Posts

11286

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 27

User Lists: 17

#2  Edited By Tireyo

I'm no car expert, but it does sound like something that you'll need to get checked out.

Avatar image for heis24
heis24

55

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

It sounds like moisture on the brake pads. Is the car kept outside? Even the cars I store inside will do this when i start them up.

Avatar image for werupenstein
Kidavenger

4417

Forum Posts

1553

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 90

User Lists: 33

"wheel barrel balance issue"

He probably said wheel bearing, though that isn't something you balance and you wouldn't drive it very far if it was making audible noises and if it was the bearing it would always be loud, not just under braking.

Does it make the sound if you just slow down without braking, that power down sound makes me think its the transmission not shifting properly or something else in the drivetrain and the sound is just masked when you are on the gas and you only hear it when you are not on the gas.

Avatar image for hippocrit
hippocrit

290

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

@kidavenger: no sound while driving, just while breaking. It looks like I forgot to mention that the "power down" sound only happens on the first 2-3 stops. The squeal is intermittent.

Avatar image for jasonr86
JasonR86

10468

Forum Posts

449

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 17

User Lists: 5

@hippocrit:

The squealing may just be a normal sound, especially if it is intermittent. If I remember right, as brake pads and discs wear down you'll start to hear squealing from time to time as the pad/disk deteriorates. It's an issue if you hear the sound constantly and/or if you can't brake properly. I don't know what the 'power down' sound might be. As was mentioned, it sounds like the mechanic had said 'wheel bearing issue' but if he said it isn't a problem yet you probably haven't heard it. Basically, it feels like a thud from time to time when you stop, turn, or really do anything with your wheels. The only thing I can think of with the powering down sound is either maybe air in the brake line, issues with the brake fluid, or something to do with your ABS.

Is any of this impacting the effectiveness of your car's braking?

Avatar image for hippocrit
hippocrit

290

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#7  Edited By hippocrit

@jasonr86: nope, the car breaks fine. In fact, it all seems to run fine except for this noise.

Avatar image for jasonr86
JasonR86

10468

Forum Posts

449

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 17

User Lists: 5

@hippocrit:

Then it's probably not a significant problem. Yet.

Avatar image for nasar7
Nasar7

3236

Forum Posts

647

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#9  Edited By Nasar7

does the brake pedal vibrate a bit under braking? If so, you might wanna get your rotors resurfaced. squealing is either pads on their way out, or moisture (in the morning, after it rains). "Powering down" sound could be your tires wearing down and becoming noisier. Lots of variables there. Brand, summer vs all-season, mileage, frequency of tire rotation, alignment...

Avatar image for monkeyking1969
monkeyking1969

9095

Forum Posts

1241

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 18

#10  Edited By monkeyking1969

You are on the wrong website, in the wrong forum....

What you need is to go to the Cartalk.com fourms, you know Tom and Ray (Click & Clack 'The Tappin Brothers') from Car Talk on NPR. Just go to the community area of that website and explain your problem just like you did here....include all the stuff about your wife too, because that's how stories on Car Talk work. People there will solve your problem for sure!

http://community.cartalk.com/

Avatar image for diz
diz

1394

Forum Posts

961

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 4

#11  Edited By diz

The squeal is the vibration between your disks and pads and is usually caused by a build-up of brake pad dust on the brake calipers, or from pad or disk wear. It is often indicative of a stuck pad in the caliper. Sometimes a blast of air into the calipers with an air hose will clean the dust out. If the pads are good and the disks are not worn, scored or warped, then removing the pads, cleaning around the calipers and replacing the pads with a small amount of copper grease on the sides and back of the pads will stop any squealing. Obviously great care should be taken to apply the copper grease only to the rear and sides of the pad and not to get any on the front of the pad or the disk.

Some varieties of brake pads are more prone to squealing and softer pads are less liable to squeal. Excessive squealing can cause the brake disks to glaze and then they'd need to be re-surfaced. So this issue is best sorted out early.

Perhaps the "death star" sound is the same cause, but at a lower frequency as the car comes to a halt and the wheels stop. The sound may then become more of a low groaning noise.

Please ensure your brakes work perfectly and if there is any doubt get them checked by a competent mechanic.