Sudden Brake Screech

Current Road Conditions

While this winter here in the Willamette Valley has been mild, with minimal sanding of roads, there remains a fair amount of debris in the roadways.

Main Cause of Sudden Brake Screech

Small pieces of gravel can be spun up by the tire and find their way into brake components, becoming lodged between the brake pad and rotor. Once there they can produce an unpleasant screeching sound, providing an aural indicator of their presence.

Sometimes these rocks will be pulverized and break down through actuation of the brakes. Sometimes they won’t, stubbornly remaining in place, where they can damage both the pad and rotor*.

Next Steps

Should you experience any suddenly new brake screeching, come see the Friendly Professionals at Pacific Motorsports, and let us help prevent possible further damage from occurring.

*An evenly scored line, or groove, can often be seen on the brake rotor where the rock scores it. The damage caused to the rotor surface reduces the contact area (also known as swept area) on the braking surface.