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cajalat · Jul 7, 2006, 06:21 PM

Toyota Corolla 2002

I went on vacation for two weeks (car sat in driving for the duration). After I came back I noticed that every time I make a right turn I hear this grinding noise. The noise seems to be consistent with the speed (i.e. if my speed is fast then the grinding noise is fast). I thought that it might be due to the car just sitting there for a while and that it would go away with regular driving but in fact the noise seems to have gotten worse. As a side fact, during the two weeks that the car was parked it rained quite a bit.

Any suggestions or ideas on what to look for?

Casey

shunned · Jul 8, 2006, 01:44 PM

Don't drive this car until you take a look or have a mechanic check it. It could be your brake caliper is loose or a wheel bearing.

fredg · Jul 9, 2006, 06:38 AM

HI,
Your previous answer is good.
It could also be a wheel bearing, or a wheel ball and socket joint, or the steering arm ball and socket.
I would have it checked out by a mechanic to solve it.
Best wishes.

cajalat · Jul 9, 2006, 09:12 PM

Let me provide some more information in order to narrow the possibilities.

- The noise distinctly comes from the left rear side.
- The noise doesn't happen when I seem to be going faster than 30 mph (i.e. entering a highway on-ramp that curves right)
- The noise seems to only happen when I make a right turn (city streets) with speeds in the 5 mph to 15 mph.
- The noise is consistent with the speed (i.e. at 5mph it is slower grinding than when going at 15 mph while making a right turn)
- No noise whatsoever when making left turns
- No noise whatsoever when going straight

- Had a complete break job done about 1 year ago and the car is 2002 (bought it brand new and I'm the only driver).

Is there anything I can look for or do that would help me narrow the problem down? Any suggestions welcome.

Casey

tiborgh · Sep 29, 2007, 06:44 PM

I guess in more than a year from the original post the problem was solved, but I will still answer just for the record.

Having the same car/model and model year, I experienced the same problem two years ago and after a trip to the dealership and $50 later the problem was solved. I suspected ball bearings (which would have been covered by warranty), but they claimed it was rust built up on the rear drum and just a simple scaling was all they had to do.

In the last month I have experienced those simptoms again and this time I decided to check the drum myself and try to scale it. Sure thing it was well rusted and after removing the rust that came in contact with the non-moving parts, the noise disappeared. It looks like this is a problem affecting some 2002 Corollas.

Hope this helped.

cajalat · Sep 30, 2007, 05:09 AM

Turned out to be shoddy work by the original repair shop. Took it to a professional brake repair shop and they re-did the brakes. Been great ever since.

closetome · Mar 17, 2011, 03:41 PM

I have the same problem with my 2002 Corolla. My car makes grinding noise on rt rear tire when turning left. My mechanic at Toyota told me after just having had a break job that it is due to uneven break drum just to let it go until it gets worst because a new drum is expensive. That was last Fall. These days the noise have gotten worst. Today I rotated my tires from winter to all seasons and while at it I switched the drums left to right and right to left. But still the noise continues - grinding noise to rt rear wheel when turning left. This tells me that it might not be the drum that is causing that noise but something else.

kitch428 · Mar 17, 2011, 09:06 PM

Closetome, pull the drum off again and look see if the proper orientation of the shoes is correct.
The front shoe is the primary shoe. It should have less lining on it than the rear (secondary) shoe.
I see these reversed all the time causing grinding noises.

kitch428 · Mar 18, 2011, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by cajalat

Turned out to be shoddy work by the original repair shop. Took it to a professional brake repair shop and they re-did the brakes. Been great ever since.

Case in point.