In need of a diagnosis

Ok, so my 2005 Civic is having "an issue". Occasionally there is a metallic noise while driving. I apply the brakes and it stops, let off the brakes and it comes back. Then it will just stop for a while, anywhere from a day to an hour and start up again. I've had brakes sound awful while braking but never while driving and going away under braking. My first thought was one of the sheet metal shields behind the rotor maybe loose and dragging but I can't feel anything loose. Haven't had time to pull a wheel yet to look. Any thoughts?

What kind of noise? Grinding? Rattle?

Broken spring / adjuster on rear drum brake

WAG (wild assed guess)based on my "expert" opinion and having owned many E36 M3boxes- it may well be a hanging caliper. They don't always totally hang, and when you hit the brakes you pass the point of the metallic noise and go into braking. Now if we knew more about WHAT it sounded like, it'd be better- but, that's what I got based on what you gave.

Yeah, sorry that wasn't very descriptive. My first thought was that it sounded like a sheet metal heat shield laying across and dragging on something rotating and bouncing on and off of it. That's what made me think maybe the shields behind the rotor were loose. But that doesn't explain how it goes away when braking. OK that probably didn't help much. Hanging caliper makes some sense, though.
Pretty sure it sounds like it's in the front, but that could be deceiving. Thanks guys!

Wear indicators on the front pads for $100, TLNXTYM.

It goes away under breaking, because the indicators have more pressure on them and stop squeaking or make a different noise. They can also make different noises after a rain, after hard breaking and hot to cold.

That would be my guess.

Yep. Brake pad squealers. Drive it long enough, and the squealer will break off, then a few miles down the road you can hear the more familiar grinding noise.

And if you're down to the squealers, there may not be enough fluid in the master cylinder for the circuit and a caliper could hang. It alllllll fits nicely

Yep that makes sense now. I guess I just never let the pads get that low before. Or is it kept a car long enough to let them get that low?
I always expected it to be a constant squeal rather than intermittent, which I guess it'll be constant real soon.

yeah it will be soon enough. good thing bralea are cheap.

TLNXTYM wrote:

Yep that makes sense now. I guess I just never let the pads get that low before. Or is it kept a car long deenough to let them get that low?
I always expected it to be a constant squeal rather than intermittent, which I guess it'll be constant real soon.