Brake grinding with no ABS; No grinding when light is on

[Johnsonizzle]

Hello, and thanks for reading. This is my first post.

I recently had a front wheel bearing replaced and about 2 weeks later I developed a strange issue. As I was braking, going about 25mph or less, I felt a terrible grinding in the brake pedal; not a bad brake pad or bad rotor grinding. When I came to a complete stop, the ABS light, AWD light, etc all came on. As I drove it the rest of the way home, the grinding didn't reappear. The next day when I started the car, all the ABS lights were no longer on. Then, when I was braking going slow (under 25mph) the grinding happened again, and again all the lights came on. Again, once the lights were on, the grinding went away. This has happened about 7-8 times. The grinding only happens when a) braking at a low speed, and b)when no ABS lights are illuminated. This phenomenon is completely unreproducible when the ABS lights are illuminated. Any thoughts???

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[Johnsonizzle]

Sorry - forgot to mention - 2012 Nissan Rogue SL

[Rogue Jarhead]

Nissan has what I think of as a really crappy wheel speed sensor placement issue. Designed by some engineer who has never worked on cars. Your wheel speed sensor on the wheel with the new bearing was damaged during the wheel bearing replacement.
Because of nissans crappy design damage is almost unavoidable.

They are easy to replace. One 10mm bolt and unplug the wires up near the top of the strut. Fairly simple except you'll have to hammer that sensor out of its hole and then use a small round file to clean the hole up so the new one will mount properly. The sensors are made of mostly plastic and a little brass so not difficult to hammer out with a small drift punch or screwdriver. Up north here the sensors tend to meld to the steel of the hubs after about 2 years of road salt. Whoever did your bearing install probably didn't realize you have to pull the sensor before replacing the bearing.

Rock auto has new sensors for $80-90 each. You will need just the one for the side the bearing was replaced on. Someone on this forum found them for <$20 on amazon and they worked, so you could give that a shot.

[Johnsonizzle]

Awesome. Thanks for the quick reply! Just checked it out and the sensor isn't stuck. Just need to swap out a new one. Thank you for your help!

[amc49]

If the typical wheel bearing type now so often used can be a bearing in backwards too. Some use one side of the bearing as the ABS sensor tone ring and mounted with that not facing the sensor will do the same thing. Bearing side seals often in two colors and the black side faces the sensor.

Sounds like your ABS is activating (the grinding) and then failing to see the wheel turn correctly as a result it then disables the ABS until key cycled off to start it all over again. Why the grinding quits with light on.

[Rogue Jarhead]

Awesome. Thanks for the quick reply! Just checked it out and the sensor isn't stuck. Just need to swap out a new one. Thank you for your help!

You are lucky if it's not stuck. Or living down south.