What's wrong with my car?

Question

I have a new shape vauxhall astra on an 04 plate, recently purchased second hand. I have only been driving it for two days but I heard a noticable clunking and grinding today when I applied the brakes. What could this be? Is it costly to repair? Should the previous owner have told me about this?

I must add that this noise is not normally evident. Usually when I brake it brakes as smoothly as expected. If the first three answers are true would I not hear this all the time???????????

This is a manual gearbox (stickshift for you in US) . Doesn't the parking brake answer only apply to automatics????

Answer 1

could need new brakes and rotors--take it a mechanic, tell him you recently purchased you are hearing that noise, see what he says, if it is something major then the former owner should have disclosed it to you, I would then ask them to either pay for the repair, or take the vehicle back and return your money, otherwise I would consult a lawyer if the former owner refuses to cooperate. Because if it is something major to fix, the owner probably knew all along and that is why they were selling it. If its just in need of new brakes and rotors, that could happen at anytime, and the former owner may not have realized it was time for new brakes. Just pay for new brakes and rotors yourself--get lifetime warranty brakes, then in the future you will only need to pay for labor to replace them.

Answer 2

Some questions.

1. Do you hear this everytime you apply the brakes? If you hear it all the time, something is not right and it's highly advised to get the brakes inspected.

2. However, if you only hear it in the morning and after you have backed up the car, it's highly likely that it's simply the parking brake adjusting itself. Many cars have parking brakes that self adjust after you have put the car in reverse. You will hear it louder after your first backup in the morning as there is a bigger adjustment, but you may hear it also during the day. If you don't hear it all the time, and only hear it after backing up, then I would tell you it's normal for some cars.

No the parking brake sound will applys to both manuals and automatics. You have a parking brake weather you have a manual or automatic transmission. The parking brake is an independent system from the transmission. The question is do you only hear the sound after you have first placed the car in reverse. Placing the car in reverse causing the wheels to spin backwards (obviously) this causes and adjustment mechanism inside many drum brakes to adjust the parking brake. So my response will apply to both automatic and manual transmission. And typically you will hear one "clunk" as you begin moving forward.

So
1. Place car in reverse.
2. Backing up the car begins adjustment process.
3. Place car in drive
4. Moving forward you may hear a clunk as the parking brake finishes the adjustment process the first time you step on the brake.

See if this is what is going on. If so, then you have nothing to worry about, it's the normal adjustment process of some parking brake systems.

Answer 3

You need to get it checked and fixed immediatley before you do serious damage to the brakes.

Sounds like the pads broke off or something and your are grinding the metal backing plates into the brake discs.

Could just be that the car sat for a longer time and the pads got brittle..

Answer 4

that symptoms of a brake pad bracket thats missing. The bracket hold the pad securely in place. When its missing it will still brake but cause lots of unwanted road noise especially when applying the brakes.

Answer 5

it sounds like the brake calipers are loose and the pads are worn down to the metal. that is dangerous. take the vehicle to a mechanic right now before you do anything else. yes the previous owner should have disclosed all information on the vehicle.

Answer 6

sounds like it needs new brakes, the sooner the better.