Hi all, I've got a 2010 3rd generation Prius II with about 38k miles. Earlier today when I was driving around town the car suddenly started making a sort of grinding sound, metal-on-metal sound. To cut to the chase, I think I've narrowed it down to something in the front right wheel. When I got home I put the car in park and had someone rev the engine. The sound didn't manifest, so I think this rules out the engine, belts, etc.. It doesn't seem to appear until the car gets moving. Almost right away, even at low speeds, the sound crops up. I had someone drive the car very slowly down the street as I walked around the car to try to pinpoint the location of the sound, and I'm fairly certain it's coming from the front right wheel. It's present even when driving straight, so it's not strictly related to turning, although it is audible when turning as well. I poked around the wheel well, but didn't see anything that immediately jumped out at me. Immediately I'm not a huge gear head, though. Does anyone have any ideas or thoughts? It's greatly appreciated!
Take to dealer or your favorite auto repair shop. They should be able to tell you just by listening to it!
Once or twice a year small pebbles seem to make it into the breakage assembly, going in reverse and applying the brakes makes things like that go in a different direction, not that a grinding sound isn't bearings, a high pitch squeal or rock on metal sound is different.
Other day, I heard a similar rattling sound from my rear passenger side. Wondered what it was since all doors were closed. After going down my block about 100ft, I pulled over and went back to check. Turned out I'd picked up a twig in the grooves of my tire treads. It came out with a little manipulation but for some reason wasn't rolling free whenever it reached the ground so kept smacking against some part of the wheel well. That whole day while I'd been driving around town, I kept trying to dodge fairly sizable twigs and branches (with only partial success), some 1-2 ft in length, that seemed to have been trimmed from trees along the street and unceremoniously blown out into the tarmac. This seemed to span several cities through which I was driving for errands..
I just had this problem. Took it to Midas and they found a pebble trapped behind the brake disk and had to disassemble the entire assembly to get it out. $130
