Screeching from the front wheel.

[JoanneP]

My 97 Aerostar AWD has a mainly constant loud screeching noise (metal to metal) from front driver side wheel that happens only while driving at any speed. To check this out I drove up and down my driveway in forward and reverse. At one point while reversing I applied brakes hard and the screech stopped but then started again faintly. I just drove into town and the screech is still there but fainter and occassionally seems to stop momentarily. This screeching started suddenly the other day and I was not aware of any other noises or problems leading up to it. I've checked many forums and can't find anything that seems to apply to this problem. Please help!

 

[swetrid]

Ck the brakes and dust shields

 

[Carguy3J]

Likely cause is one of the following:

1.) Dust shield rubbing on the rotor, as suggested by "swetrid"

2.) The brake pads are worn, and the wear indicator(s) are rubbing on the rotor, or the pads are completely shot, and the rivets are grinding on the rotor(s)

3.) Front wheel bearing/hub is shot.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread into the Aerostar section. My vote is that it's coming from the brake pads rubbing against the rotor. Check the caliper pins to see if they are loose or worn in addition to the pads & rotors.

 

[JoanneP]

Thanks to all for your suggestions. Today I hope to pull the wheel off and check what I am capable of checking, but first must deal with a large overnight dump of snow! Drove into town again, slowly along a back road, and brakes worked and screech continued intermittently, much fainter than when it first started. It's a real relief to be able to ask knowledgeable people for advice, thanks again. I'll be back after I remove the wheel.

 

[JoanneP]

Problem solved - it was a rock! I removed the wheel and everything looked OK except there was a slight groove worn into the face of the disk, and I didn't know if that was there before. I called a guy who has a lot of experience to look at things and he thought everything was fine so I replaced the wheel and test drove it. No screeching at all. Afterwards I looked on the ground where I had removed the wheel and found a pea sized rock that was flattened and highly glazed on one side. Just about the same size as the groove. What a relief! I've had rocks in there before but usually the screeching only lasts a minute before the rock disintegrates and the noise stops. You gotta love it when "repairs" are this easy. As I was laid off two months ago I could not take the van to a mechanic so this was a very big concern to me. Thanks for the advice and providing the forum, it gave me the courage to at least try to see what the problem may be.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Thanks for the update!