[ProfBerta]

Yesterday, I had my oil changed, my tires rotated, and the fluid levels checked, etc. My one-year-old Prius has 25,000 miles. After I picked up my car, I headed to my parents' house, 50 miles away, for my dad's 70th birthday party. We cranked up the music and had a rousing good hour long drive. After the party, I packed the kids in the car and left.

And then the nightmare began. As I was coasting away from the curb, I heard this weird, scraping noise coming from the right, rear wheel. I turned around and got my dad to listen. We called AAA and the tow truck driver take the wheel off and put it back on, thinking maybe something wasn't on right or tightened or something. Everything was fine. Instead of risking something bad happening on the freeway at 11 o'clock on a Saturday night, I stayed at my parents and drove to Pep Boys this morning. I heard the scraping noise when I first pulled away from the curb, but once I gained speed, I heard nothing. When I got to Pep Boys, I heard nothing while driving slowly through the parking lot.

Pep Boys informed me that they don't service Prius, other than oil changes, because they're too new (!) but they would check out the tires and the brakes for me and see if something was bent or something like that. They found nothing wrong with the car. I drove home, 50 miles, and have not heard the noise again.

Any ideas?

Roberta

 

[Sanny]

I had nasty noise (scraping) for a few miles, but it turned out to be a stick wedged up under the car. I crawled under and pulled it out. But Peps would have found something like that for you (I hope).

 

[wayneswhirld]

It's possible you got a stone in the brake mechanism that then fell away. I live on a gravel road and driving on that road when the car was a week old, there was suddenly a chuuuut-chuuut-chuuut sound coming from what sounded like the right rear wheel. I stopped immediately, started again and it continued. Since I was 1/4 mile from home, I figured I'd drive with it that way and deal with it at home. But in another 100 feet the noise stopped. Toyota service figured a stone briefly got caught somewhere in the brakes and figured there'd be no damage. There was none and it hasn't happened since.

 

[Roger V]

scraping noise

I have had the same problem from time to time, and it turned out to be brake dust hardening on the drum surface. Apparently it causes the brake pad to catch on the buildup when you aren't braking. The Prius tech removed the drum and cleaned it out on the left rear, but said the right was fine. A few weeks later, it started on the right, so I will take care of it at the upcoming service. I think I will ask them to clean the rear drums at maybe every 10 or 15k service interval from now on. I think you may find yours to be the same problem if you take it to Toyota. Good luck.
BTW, the first time I noticed mine making the noise was immediately following a service on the way home. I thought they had adjusted the brakes too tight. They hadn't touched them, as it turned out.

 

[hdrygas]

I had a similar thing happen it turned out to be a bit of plastic (water bottle top?) in the calipers of the front disk brake that popped out when I went back and fourth in the drive way with my wife listening to the car from the outside. If she had not seen it pop out I would have never figured out.

 

[KURT]

Scraping noise

You probably just picked up something from the road and it fell away. As long as Toyota has checked it out and didn't find anything you can reasonably feel good that everything is ok.

I would recommend to anyone to learn to do their own minor services on their own car. Oil and filter changes, checking levels and tire rotation are not difficult procedures. You can save a lot of money and do them at any time you wish.

 

[ProfBerta]

Toyota has not checked it out. I took it to Pep Boys. And if I don't hear the noise tomorrow, I won't take it in. And if I do, I'll probably still wait until Friday, my day off. As long as my brakes are okay and the wheel is secure, I'm not worried. Should I be?

Roberta

 

[idahlberg]

I have that, too. A metallic scraping sound from the passenger rear wheel, like from the brakes. I had an oil change recently and told the Toyota service guy to check out the squeak. He said it may have been related to some body work I had done, though the extensive body work I had done (last year from an accident) was on the driver side mostly. Hmph. Squeak still happens once in a while, usually when it's a bit chilly, or passengers had been in the car earlier. Goes away at freeway speeds.

 

[Roger V]

scraping noise

I agree with Kurt about doing some maintenance myself, and that is actually why I have the brake dust buildup, according to the tech at my dealer. I rotate my own tires, and had not pulled the rear drums to inspect the brakes. I'm going to let them do it along with the oil change. I used to do my own oil changes, but the dealer's charge for that is under $30, and worth it to me. I rotate the tires myself in order to hand torque the lug nuts to specs so that I am able to get them loose by hand if I need to change a flat. I will ask them to hand torque the lugs, or I will redo it when I get the car home after they have serviced the brakes.