Ok I have noticed that the last week or so I have been hearing some noise coming from the left wheel. I think that I need new brake pads already before the noise. From what I know when I need brake pads the brakes usually squeel with a high pitch. Well first I noticed that the e-brake lights stays on usually when my car is just started in the morning and occationally in the day, even though the lever is down. I hear like a dragging sound, like 2 rough solid metals are grinding each other but with a sandy sound. Any Ideas........I also think I new shocks too at least........

 

sounds like brakes. Don't go too long on thi$ if it is the brake$.

 

This shrill sound could be coming from the brake pad wear indicators. Here is a quote from the Owner's Manual.

Brake pad wear indicators
The disc brake pads on your vehicle have audible wear indicators. When a brake pad requires replacement, it will make a high pitched scraping or screeching sound when the vehicle is in motion whether or not the brake pedal is depressed. Have the brakes checked as soon as possible if the wear indicator sound is heard.


Front pads typically wear out sooner than rear pads, so check the fronts first. If the rotors are not conspicuously worn and you have not felt any pulsation in the brake pedal, you may need nothing more than new pads. Replacing worn brake pads is something which may be done by the home mechanic. You will find good coverage of this subject in the Haynes manual, pages 9-5 through 9-9. Doing the front pads is easier than the rears because the rear calipers have the complication of the hand brake mechanism.

Brake pads can wear out in 20K miles or 100K miles. It depends on your car (brakes wear faster with automatic transmission), your driving style, your driving environment. In a stop-and-go urban area brakes wear quickly. In 100% highway driving the brake pads never wear out because they are lightly used.

The Brake dashboard warning light is another clue which points to worn-out brake pads. The brake fluid which was formerly in the master cylinder reservoir gradually migrates to the calipers as the friction material wears away.