When I turn left, I hear a slight grinding noise which seems to come from the right front wheel area. It is at any speed (and not just fast cornering which I originally thought). Sounds somewhat like worn brakepads, but braking doesn't introduce any such noise (either above or below 5mph or whatever speed the mechanical braking takes over) and I am not braking while the noise surfaces. There's a slight increase/decrease in the noise while the wheel turns round, pretty much as if there is a slight dent in the wheel, as if it always rubs, but when passing the dent, the noise is increased for a moment. So I doubt it is anything like my Volvo, which caused a similar noise, which was a low fluidlevel in the powered steeringfluid which was sucking in air when centrifugal fources kept the fluid away from the pump-inlet... Ideas while I wait for a dry period to jack it up?
Rusty brake disc (Inside and/or outer edge)? Slightly bent brake shield (metal plate behind the brake disc)? Slightly loose wheel bearing? Or combination of some (or all) of those thing? Normally to get this noise you have to drive faster or do a harder turn. Is the noise there if you only turn the steering wheel like quarter turn at slow speed?
Thanks for the ideas! The wheel has to be turning for the noise to appear. Just turning the steering-wheel does not cause it. I thought about the brake shield as I think that has caused some audible noise before after replacing the wheel bearing (some years ago, the other has also been replaced) and I probably bent it a little when putting things back together. But that turns (not rotates) with the wheel, so not sure if that can get caught on something making it touch the discbrake. Writing this also reminded me that I had a branch stuck under the car a few weeks back, so another thing to check for. How do I check a CV joint? Just look at the gator and look for leaking grease?
Look for any broken rubber, signs of leaking, maybe even wiggle it and see if it has too much play. A grinding noise not related to brakes and related to turning - the first thing I check is the thing subject to the greatest amount of wear.
Faulty CV-joint normally creates clicking noise. Faulty outer CV-joint is easiest to hear if you drive slowly at very tight turn (almost full lock).
Still worth checking. When my 2009 was still new to me (it was terrifying) I had a noise during turning. God awful. More of a screech though. Turned out it was a massive wad of gravel from the fresh chip seal I had to drive through 150 miles earlier.
A little late to the party, but I'm having the same issue. It's SUPER intermittent, and of course, it won't do it when someone else is "listening"! The brakes feel fine, but it only happens while braking. Slowing from 35 mph usually. Recently had my A/C condensor replaced. But I'm not sure how that would make the "scraping/grinding" sound happen when braking SOMETIMES! Taking it back to the shop this weekend. Just trying to figure out what to expect! Dust, rust (it never rains in SoCal), pebble? Axle issue? Sigh... just hit 103K miles.
Not sure if linked but between my post above and my reply now, I've changed the bearing once again. They are not very great quality on the Prius despite putting in an SKF one. But I have a feeling brand doesn't really matter and they all come from the same factory... Like my cheap knock-off Volvo parts where the "Volvo" letters have been actually (badly so still very recognisably) been grounded off the aluminium... So bought the car at 130,000km (~80k m) and now a smidge undet 300,000km (185k m) and replaced 3 bearings already. Have all the printed dealer work done from the first 130k km but don't know where I left it and too lazy to go through it to see if it had bearing replacements in that period. CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH: ABS-sensor bolt is (LITERALLY) hanging on by a thread on BOTH my front wheels. The aluminium brake-shoe (?) oxidises so the thread is virtually non-existant on mine. This is easy to solve: drill through, cut new thread and make the 1cm thread 3cm long (from 1/4"to 1"). But this can only (simply) be done BEFORE you mount the new bearing, and I always only think of doing this AFTER I fit the new bearing... because that's when I re-attach the ABS sensor and find there is no thread left... (Mentioned lengths are from memory, so may be off. But read this with the brake-rotor thinghy in your hand and it will hopefully make sense.)
