Hey guys, I have a question for anyone that can help me. Every time my brakes are heated up, especially after long city drives up and down hills, my brakes make a really odd deep/low crunching noise. Its kind of like a muffled, water running trickling down a rain gutter sound. The noise sounds like its coming in underneath the car from the front passenger side wheel well area. This is only audible when I am in the processes of decelerating to a complete stop- at around 5mph or so. At that time, the brakes start feeling a little soft and I have to apply a extra pressure onto the brake pedal to stop the car. When the car is cold, it does not make this noise at all. Its happened almost everyday for the past month, and mainly when there's a lot of stop and go traffic. There is no noise coming from the rear brakes. I have Stillen cross drilled rotors and Stillen pads.

Do you guys think it has something to do with the heat of the rotors?
I am just wondering if this could be a serious problem or if its just a minor problem. Sorry I can't provide a sound sample for you guys. Hopefully I won't end up needing to bring it to the mechanic =(

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

Sounds like the rotors are glazed. How much pad is left? If not a lot, have your rotors turned and replace the pads.

 

quick question-- does the heating of the rotors cause them to become glazed? I am curious because I don't drive my car too much 97 gle with 33k on it.. and the rotors are glazed...need to get them turned...
how do rotors get glazed or warped and what can be done to prevent it?

 

Yes, it's caused by overheating. It's not that hard to do on a Maxima, unfortunately.

(heck it's depressingly easy on most newer Japanese imports except Lexus, because the brakes just aren't that big...)

 

Lexus isn't exempt...TrustME. I worked there for 4 years. The ES/RX rotors would glaze like crazy! What a pain.

 

hmm sounds like i'll take it into the shop to have em look at the rotors.. they look fine to me however.. thanks for the advice tho...