Sup everyone. First time user here. Hope I can learn and contribute.

Anywho....I took my 2005 Civic EX to the shop today b/c my wife was complaining of occasional grinding noises when she brakes. I never hear it but took it to the shop today just ease her anxiety.

The checked it out and said the brakes are good. The front has 12 left and the back has 5. They said they cleaned the back a little bit b/c it was dirty.

They recommended that I replace the struts/absorbers b/c its recommended at 60k. My car has 110k and is in generally good-great shape. Are they BSing me? I haven't noticed much bouncing from the car going over bumps, etc.

On the way home, I was in the shopping parking lot and finally heard the grinding noises by I braked. Any idea what it may be?

Thanks in advance.

Sorry, I'm mechanically inclined, so I couldn't give any more details.

 

As for the struts My 90 has 107,000 miles is a 1990 & I'm still running the original struts. My 1997 Blazer 4x4 has the original shocks @ 155,000. Shocks & struts on a street car are all about ride. Shocks & struts are a multi million dollar sale scam IMHO. If the ride is OK & it isn't bouncing down the street they are fine.
As for the grinding I don't know. Are you sure it is the brakes? Have you checked to make sure something isn't rubbing when you put on the brakes.
I tell people find a shop that is honest, & finds the problem when you take it in. Never tell a garage what is wrong. Tell them what you hear or see. A good shop would of told you what the noise is & if it is something to worry about or not. Any shop that try to sell you shocks, struts, & BS stuff like that isn't an honest shop. If a shock or strut is broken or is leaking that is different. I'm an old retired mechanic I do some of my work but a lot goes to a shop. If I have a problem I tell them & they find it & fix it or tell me not to worry about it it is normal or nothing to be concerned about. The shop that does my work will tell you they could sell shocks to about 3/4 of their customers if they wanted but they are honest & fix ONLY what needs fixing.

 

Thanks so much for your reply.

I forgot to mention, the guy did state there was a little leak and he brought up the strut.

The place I took it to has won several reader's award for best mechanic for the local/regional newspaper.

It still rides smooth though, so maybe I can hold off on the struts til later.

As for the brakes, the only other thing I can say about it was I can feel it kinda vibrate (the pedal) when it made the grinding noise. Also it was when I was in the parking lot, so slow speed. I believe my wife was in a parking lot as well when she heard it.

Going to the shop and coming back on the freeway, I didn't hear anything.

 

The vibration is most likely warped rotors. The noise could be the pads have been hot & are hard. Remember these newer pads are made with metal in them. Unless you have ceramic pads. Then dirt could be causing it. My Civic has petal vibration at highway speeds. Somebody before me replaced the pads & didn't turn the rotors. Even if the rotors are turned, over tightening a wheel or tightening it out of sequence can warp rotors. Wheels should always be tightened with a torque wrench to factory specs.