I have only been driving for about a year, and I was just wondering about different sounds the breaks make, and when I should replace them.

Since I got my car, during light breaking you could hear the breaks whistling kind of, it wasn't too loud. That would go on and off every other month.

Now if I break a little bit harder, it sounds like the breaks growl at me. Its a very audible grinding noise.

To me, I read that the whistling/squeaking is a normal indicator of worn brake pads... And I was wonderign if that growling might be the pegs on the rotors.... But I took it to my mechanic and he said they still have about 7.5k miles on them. That was about 3k miles ago. I don't want to be given false information and be screwed into having to buy an entire new break assembly from the pegs and rotors stopping my car. But I don't want to just replace my break pads if I don't have to.

Thanks for helping.

I have only been driving for about a year, and I was just wondering about different sounds the breaks make, and when I should replace them.

Since I got my car, during light breaking you could hear the breaks whistling kind of, it wasn't too loud. That would go on and off every other month.

Now if I break a little bit harder, it sounds like the breaks growl at me. Its a very audible grinding noise.

To me, I read that the whistling/squeaking is a normal indicator of worn brake pads... And I was wonderign if that growling might be the pegs on the rotors.... But I took it to my mechanic and he said they still have about 7.5k miles on them. That was about 3k miles ago. I don't want to be given false information and be screwed into having to buy an entire new break assembly from the pegs and rotors stopping my car. But I don't want to just replace my break pads if I don't have to.

Thanks for helping.
Hello, Did your mechanic check both the front brakes and the back brakes? It sounds like the brake pads or brake shoes are completly worn down so it's metal to metal contact when you apply the brakes.. I figure this to be the problem since you wrote that there is a very audible grinding noise. :mad: Good luck with your car. JOET/CAMRY...

ICE745,
Financially, I think it would be in your best interest to get a second professional opinion by taking it to either a brake shop or even a Toyota dealer for a FREE brake inspection. It's a lot cheaper to just replace the brake pads than to have to replace the rotors along with them. JOET/CAMRY nailed it when he asked if both your front and rear brakes were checked. This you want to do for sure. Best of luck and hold onto your wallet. :uhoh: