Update on rear brake/axle sound .. whine sound ... [Archive]

Hmmm2

07-08-2006, 08:15 AM

Can any of you tell me if you EVER hear ANYTHING coming from the rear when you brake hard? We've been on a trip for a week .. left the H3 with the dealer/service dept ... hoping they could find the problem with the SAME left rear 'grind' sound when I come to a quick or hard stop. As you may recall, they had the H3 for almost 2 weeks trying to find the problem ... they replaced the pads and resurfaced the rotors. The sound went away for 12 days and came back. There is a periodic whine .. and the same 'grind' sound coming from the rear. I took him for a test drive a week ago AGAIN and he heard it .. saying it could be the rear axle or drive shaft. I called the Service Manager today (Friday) for an update. He said he opened the axle and didn't find any damage or metal. He said the sound I hear is normal on all H3's. Of course, he didn't say that when he took the test drive with me last week and said he heard a definite problem. Then he said maybe I am braking too hard when I'm 'trying' to hear that sound. I have an automatic. I hear the sound when I come to a quick stop. If any of you have an automatic .. could you PLEASE do a test and come to a fast stop and listen hard?? Do you hear any sound like a grind from the rear just as you come to complete stop? I'll be seeing him on Monday for a test drive again. Why I don't know. He said the sound is there if you brake hard. I told him if I hear it, I will not accept it. Any advise, anyone?? Should there be a sound? Should I contact someone from Hummer? We won't be back home til Sunday. AGH!!!! Thanks. :confused:

rangerross

07-08-2006, 02:27 PM

My H3 would make a loud groan (not really a grinding sound) just before coming to a complete stop when braking hard. Mine sounded like the anti-lock brake unit was paulsing the brakes just before coming to a complete stop thereby creating the noise. I don't know if this is what you are hearing or not. I had it at the dealer twice for this problem. The service manager assured me that the noise I was hearing was normal for the anti-lock brake system used on these vehicles. The noise is gone nowhttp://www.elcovaforums.com/forums/images/icons/icon4.gif I traded the H3 for a new H2 SUT:D

Hmmm2

07-08-2006, 05:51 PM

Nice way to get rid of the noise, ranngerross ... trading in for an H2! I guess mine sounds like a groan more than a grind .. hard to tell. Alot of the folks here had helped me before (about a month ago) when I first had this problem. They're probably tired of seeing my samo samo post. I'm frustrated with this problem. It feels like the dealer has had my H3 off and on longer than I've had it.:( I'll see if the Service Mgr mentions the anti-lock braking when I go in on Monday. This sound, though, had FIRST started about 2 months ago and then got worse. I bought the H3 the end of last July.

Steve - SanJose

07-08-2006, 05:58 PM

I've had my H3 for a year (20K miles now) and never experienced this braking noise. Normal?

S.

rangerross

07-08-2006, 06:18 PM

I bought my H3 middle of June last year. The first time I noticed the noise was the 2nd month of ownership. The noise may have been there earlier and I didn't notice as I was enjoying the monsoon system. :D The noise reminded me of a sound from brake pads which have been overheated and developed a glaze on the surface. I live in an area with heavy traffic and bad drivers. I had to get on the brakes hard a few times - don't know if this is the cause of the problem or not. I have seen mechnics sand the surface of the pads and rotors to eliminate a glazing problem. You may ask your dealer to check for glazing and try this fix if they don't have any other suggestions. Good luck and let me know what you find out.

Hmmm2

07-08-2006, 06:58 PM

rangerross, could you, as the driver, feel the problem when braking? I not only hear it, I can feel it in the pedal when it happens. I'll post what happens on Monday. Thanks again. Thanks, Steve-San Jose, too, for your input.

HummerNewbie

07-08-2006, 07:04 PM

I live in an area with heavy traffic and bad drivers.

I think there is some unwritten law stating that they have to move to FL :mad:

deserth3

07-08-2006, 07:26 PM

I've engaged the antilocks under hard braking. That has a grinding feeling and you can feel it in the brake pedal.

I just mention this because I don't see where's been brought up before.

Idaho-Hummer

07-08-2006, 07:33 PM

I think there is some unwritten law stating that they have to move to FL :mad:

You guy's need to move out of the city's and get away form the 'Can speed bumps and bad drivers. Come out here and play with deer, badgers, fox's, cow's and the big a$$ tractors that are heavier then most semi-trucks. Nice open county. Best of all, low population. ummm, nevermind stay in the big city's. I don't want to share.:D

rangerross

07-08-2006, 10:02 PM

I would hear the sound under hard braking just before coming to a complete stop - just before the suspension settled. I did not feel anything thru the brake pedal. Also, I was braking hard but not hard enough to trip the anti-locks. If memory serves, I think that when the anti-lock feature is engaged on most vehicles the brake pedal will pulsate. The groan sound was loud enough that people standing away from the truck (on sidewalk) could hear it.

I should add that the noise is not why I got rid of th H3. I loved the H3 :) and would have continued to drive it for many years - noise and all. After owing it for a year, I had the opportunity to purchase a new H2 SUT at a very good price.:D I have found the H3 and H2 to be two very capable but very different vehicles.

marin8703

07-09-2006, 04:06 AM

hey rangerross, sorry to go off topic but what do you mean by two different vehicles? bad dofferent or good different? in what way? im just curious cauze i dont really know how the h2 is. Thanks :)

ChevyHighPerformance

07-09-2006, 05:34 PM

Not sure if this is it. But, the H3 has dynamic proportioning for the rear brakes. The pressure is modulated to the rear brakes to provide more even braking between the front and rear brakes. Could you be hearing/feeling the pulsations from the rear brake pressure being modulated?

Hmmm2

07-09-2006, 05:49 PM

It's not a 'pulsating' feeling at all. Here's the scenario ... you're driving along, maybe about 40mph. You see the light change a block up. You start slowing, then have to come to a harder stop ..not an immediate 'slam on the brake', but a quick hard stop. Jusssssst seconds before you immediately stop, there is this grind you can feel for 5 seconds before you are stopped. It sounds like it's coming from the rear right. I THINK I can feel it in the brake pedal, too, but that could be only because I hear it, too. The driver definitely 'hears' and senses it more than the passengers ... but the passengers can hear it, too. It's quick ... just before the H stops moving. What bothers me, too, is that I don't offroad MINE. It's strictly a street driver. Yet, while in Las Vegas at "The Drive" ... the 2's and 3's, which go through the rigors of their offroad obstacle course time after time, day after day .. do NOT have this sound. AGH! I hate when someone at a dealer (Service Dept!!!!) tries to tell me with a straight face, "Oh, that noise? It's just a noise all H3's make." Same person who tired to tell me all H3's have drum brakes. "Nuff said. Thanks to all who scratching their heads here and trying to figure this out for me.

HummBebe

07-09-2006, 07:23 PM

You know, mine does the same thing, exactly as you describe it above. The last few seconds before the truck comes to a complete stop. The best you can do is make sure it is noted as a complaint in the system.

Then, if somehow down the road something does malfunction, you may be able to still get it done under warranty?

StarsnBars

07-09-2006, 07:38 PM

Mine doesnt make that sound at all and Ive hit the brakes hard abunch of times. Question,,, Can the ABS need adjusted? I dont know much about ABS stuff and maybe a GM guy in here can help answer this question. Just a though, I know its not much, just tryin to help.. Good luck, keep us posted..

signals34

07-09-2006, 07:49 PM

check to see if the noise-whine-grind-sounds the same, or disappears, on pavement and then on dirt-trail......

marin8703

07-09-2006, 09:04 PM

tryed on mine to see if i get anything.
Tryed several times, actually went into a skid on one and the abs kicked in.

Other than the pulsation of the ABS i didnt feel or hear anything else.

lotus4s

07-10-2006, 10:13 PM

tryed on mine to see if i get anything.
Tryed several times, actually went into a skid on one and the abs kicked in.

Other than the pulsation of the ABS i didnt feel or hear anything else.

X2

Hmmm2

07-11-2006, 01:47 AM

Update post on new thread, "Okay, now I'm calling GM".

Thanks for your support!!

azsidewinder

07-23-2006, 08:56 AM

It could be tires, depending on what type of tire you have you will get a little ground noise from the tread on the offroad tires. This is just a guess on my part but Ive owed a few offroad vehicles and different tires do different things at the last few revolutions before stopping. Try having them spin balanced and rotated, my Hummers new and I want to get the tires rebalanced, I dont think the manufacturer does good with the Firestone 285 tires.

Rick

11-01-2006, 03:49 AM

I thought I'd bring this old thread back to life to see if anyone had figured this out. I had something happen today for the first time. I slammed on the brakes hard and hear a grinding sound exactly like the pads had worn out and were eating the rotors. It only happens under hard braking and only in the last second or so before the truck comes to a complete stop. The sound comes from the passenger side rear. I've read about the other post with the ratcheting noise and the transfer case... This is not the same sound. (By the way... Kudos to the people who posted those sound clips!)

I only have 14k miles on the truck and have a hard time believing that the passenger side rear would wear out first. I checked out the rotors and didn't see where the pads have worn and or scored the rotors.

Any ideas?

fourfourto

11-01-2006, 04:48 AM

:popcorn: I missed this tread I was away that week.

Mine sounds more like a grind,groun from the inside,the dealer dont know what the fvck is going on.

GRRR grrr:mad:

K9sH3

11-01-2006, 05:32 AM

Mine makes a grinding noise, But mine seems to be coming from the front. I will let one of my employee's hang on to see if he can here it from outside.

Hmmm2

11-01-2006, 07:07 AM

And ... I have the groan sound when appyling the brakes. Mine sounds like fourfourto's first sound clip. :crying:

Rick

11-02-2006, 01:29 AM

My grinding sound only happens during the last second of the stop. I can slam on the brakes and if it takes 15 seconds to come to a stop... The noise only happens during the last 1 second. I can't see any wear on the rotor. I guess I'll pop it off this weekend just to see if it's the inner pad causing the problem... But it sounds like others are having the same issue.

I've read a lot on several websites... The general consensus is... There is no general consensus... And apparently the dealers are no help. (Like they ever are!)

Anyone have a clue?... At least a guess?

Hmmm2

11-02-2006, 03:55 AM

Fourfourto is the next member here waiting to get the 'verdict' on his groan. F5stop had his turn out to be the transfer case, which was replaced. After fourfourto, I'll be headed back to the dealer with my ongoing groan.

Rick

11-02-2006, 01:48 PM

Someone PMed me from another board and said they had the same issue and that the dealer had to replce their whole brake assembly. Makes sense I guess... If you can get the dealer to cover it.

fourfourto

11-02-2006, 04:38 PM

I had the rotors cut and pads replaced and it came back,so did Hmmm3.
I was hoping for pads,new rotor and new calipers but the dealer said there is no fix.
If the field rep ever returns my dealers phone calls maybe something will be done.

Rick do you know what the whole brake assy was,and how long ago it was done

I cant understand why theres no official fix or record of many people having this problem.:confused:

GRRR Grrrr :mad:

Hmmm2

11-02-2006, 08:48 PM

My grinding sound only happens during the last second of the stop. I can slam on the brakes and if it takes 15 seconds to come to a stop... The noise only happens during the last 1 second.
That's how mine began. It's only at that very last second. As time progresses, it'll be the last 2 seconds, 3 seconds ... up to about 5 seconds. But, the groan begins to get louder and you feel it in the brake pedal. :mad:

Crash ?

11-02-2006, 09:19 PM

This isn't the anti-lock doing it's thing is it..???

Rob

Hmmm2

11-02-2006, 09:39 PM

This isn't the anti-lock doing it's thing is it..???

Rob
No .. that's already been checked out and determined not to be the problem. Good thought, though. ;)

Rick

11-17-2006, 02:56 PM

Well... I dropped off my Hummer to the dealer 2 days ago. They had the service manager ride with me so he could hear the noise. He tried telling me that the sound I was hearing was normal and that it was the suspension moving during braking. I told him that I didn't believe that was the issue. They called me last night to say that they had "made some repairs" and that they wanted to test it on dry ground before calling me to come pick it up today. They didn't say what the "repairs" were... They just said they would go over everything with me when I came in today.

I'll post back and let everyone know what they found... Or didn't find.

Hmmm2

11-17-2006, 11:10 PM

I'll post back and let everyone know what they found... Or didn't find.
Thanks Rick! Can't wait to hear what your dealer found!

fourfourto

11-17-2006, 11:24 PM

Thanks Rick! Can't wait to hear what your dealer found!

X2 :yawn:

Rick

11-18-2006, 01:23 AM

X2 :yawn:
Okay... are you ready for this sh!t??? After the dealer keeping my H3 for 2 days this is what they told me...

There is no problem! This sound is normal for this vehicle! The sound <they say> comes form the suspension shackle as it goes up and down during heavy braking. I told them that this is NOT something that has been happening since I bought the unit. It only happened after I slammed on the brakes to see this supposed stripper walking out in the parking lot. (Sorry... No pics!) She had a VERY short skirt, seamed stockings and quite an a$$!.... Anyway... It started grinding then and has done so, under heavy braking, ever since.

They say that they lubricated the suspension bushings, shackles, etc so that MAY help the problem. I called BS on that crap! I said that it started when I slammed on the brakes! It is DEFINITELY a rotational GRINDING noise! They said they had it up on the lift... they drove it for two days and could not find anything out of place! I told them of a few post I had seen online about an emergency brake line mount that may be the culprit. I also told them I have read about warped rotors. (I doubt that is the problem!)

They washed my car for me so it was soaked when I picked it up. The service tech asked to drive with me to try to duplicate it before I left.... No noise! I could swear I heard it in rush-hour driving on the way back but can't swear to it. (I'll test it tomorrow.)

The bottom line is... There is no TSB about this so the dealer has blinders on. I must say that Moore Cadillac Hummer in Tyson's Corner, VA was very nice about this. (Though potentially very WRONG!) They went out of their way to TRY to make me feel at ease about taking off in it.

I will post again in a day or two as to what it does now. I'm pretty sure it will do the same thing! If it does... I'll go out of my way to slam on the brakes to make what ever it is wear out and show the problem!

I guess we'll see!

If anyone has any comments... Post away!

Hmmm2

11-18-2006, 04:05 AM

Well, that was disappointing, to say the least. :mad: I don't know what to think about this anymore. Mine WAS as bad as fourfourto's and I was livid. After they replaced the brakes and turned the rotors, it went away again. Although, it WAS back for a weekend about 2-3 months ago. I cringe everytime I come to a stop because I'm afraid I'm going to hear it. I can't imagine driving something with that loud sound. I think IF the sound hadn't gone away somewhat, I would have had to thought about trading it in. For those of you who haven't had the honor of driving an H3 with this particular problem .. you have NO idea how annoying and embarassing it is. Rick, please post if you hear it again over the weekend. Thanks for the update.

fourfourto

11-18-2006, 04:34 AM

OU812

07-10-2008, 09:00 PM

... you're driving along, maybe about 40mph. You see the light change a block up. You start slowing, then have to come to a harder stop ..not an immediate 'slam on the brake', but a quick hard stop. Jusssssst seconds before you immediately stop, there is this grind you can feel for 5 seconds before you are stopped. It sounds like it's coming from the rear right.

Rick and others was there ever any resolution to your rear brake grind, or are you just living with it?

fourfourto

07-10-2008, 10:05 PM

It seems Rick hasn't been here since 11/06 ?
As for me it still makes noisehttp://www.elcovaforums.com/forums/images/icons/icon8.gif
I found when I tied off the parking brake spring /lever the noise stopped so its not the suspention? I found a little brake lube on the pads will temporary stop the noise.
Im at 43K now at 49K Im going to bring it to the dealer and see if they came up with a fix by now?

I saved this F5put it up on the X forum some time ago,maybee I can talk the dealer into a brake job before warranty expires.

Subject: Brakes Grunt, Groan, Grinding Noise from Rear When Vehicle Comes to a Stop (Refinish Rear Rotors) #07-05-23-004 - (09/26/2007)
Models: 2006-2008 HUMMER H3

Condition
Some customers may comment on a grunt, groan or grinding noise coming from the rear of the vehicle when coming to a stop.

Cause
Rotor corrosion generates a slip-stick condition transferring vibration through the suspension.

REPLACE THE ROTORS ONLY IF THE ROTOR THICKNESS IS BELOW THE MINIMUM THICKNESS SPEC AFTER REFINISH.

Refinish the rear rotors by removing 0.4 mm from both rear rotor surfaces.

Do not replace the brake pads unless the condition requires it (i.e. excessively worn, damaged, or contaminated).

If the noise persists, a brake dampening compound may be applied to the back of each pad. This allows parts to slide freely and not vibrate when moving relative to each other.