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Front Brake Gurgling at low speeds

cbsaltcbsalt Posts: 1
First of all, my brakes sound normal (quiet) most of the time. Lately, however, I've noticed that my front brakes make a weird, gurgling noise when they're applied while the car is moving at a slow speed. It's not a scraping noise or a squealing or squeaking noise, and it also does not cause any vibration or knocking. The noise only happens when I'm coming to a stop from a VERY SLOW speed, and it also only happens when I depress the brakes to about 75-90% of the way down. If I stop hard, it doesn't make a noise, and it also does not make a noise if I apply the brakes at 75-90% if I'm going more than 15 or 20 mph.

Has anyone experienced this problem?

It's an '06 Corolla LE with approximately 45,000 miles. My front brake pads were replaced by the dealer sometime in 2008. I live near Philadelphia, and I drive in very light traffic every week day.


  • terceltomterceltom Posts: 1,017
    Sometimes you get a noise like you're describing when the brakes are depressed after drying from a rain. This is because the rotors get a little rust coating on them. After the first one or two drpesions this coating and noise will cease. Your noise sounds a little different though and I would still have your pads and rotors looked at as the culprit.
  • I know this thread is pretty old but my girlfriend is having the same problem with her scion tc.... It's an '08 with 70,000 miles. Everything seems fine while driving normally, but if you drive in a parking lot with stop signs in it just going slow, it makes a gargling sound... I'm pretty car savvy but I haven't heard this sound before (it doesn't sound metal to metal). I put the car on jack stands today pulled off the wheels and checked the brakes and it looks like there's quite a bit of meat on the pads still. Any suggestions? No pulsation in the brake pedal, everything feels great, the sound is just a little odd.... And no matter how much I stop and go, the sound doesn't go away (I thought that maybe the brakes were dirty and the sounds would go away when clean but it doesn't)
  • The rotors are a little rough.
    It won't interfere with their function.
    With a little more wear the noise will probably go away.
    So don't worry and drive on.
  • terceltomterceltom Posts: 1,017
    I don't think that would be the problem. After 70,000 miles I wouldn't count on more wear on these rotors to solve his problem.
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