Could grinding noise when braking be caused by worn-out brake pads?

Once the friction material wears off, the metal backing plate scrapes the rotor — this is the most common cause and damages rotors quickly.

Could grinding noise when braking be caused by damaged rotors?

Deeply scored or warped rotors grind even with new pads.

Could grinding noise when braking be caused by stuck caliper?

A stuck caliper holds the pad against the rotor constantly, causing rapid wear and grinding.

Grinding Noise When Braking

Q: How serious is grinding noise when braking?

Severity is rated Critical. Stop driving and inspect immediately. Continued driving destroys rotors (cheap pad job becomes expensive rotor + pad job) and can compromise stopping power.

Grinding while braking almost always means metal-on-metal contact and immediate attention is needed.

Severity: Critical

What to Do Right Now

Stop driving and inspect immediately. Continued driving destroys rotors (cheap pad job becomes expensive rotor + pad job) and can compromise stopping power.

Common Causes

Worn-out brake pads: Once the friction material wears off, the metal backing plate scrapes the rotor — this is the most common cause and damages rotors quickly. Shop brake pads
Damaged rotors: Deeply scored or warped rotors grind even with new pads. Shop brake rotors
Stuck caliper: A stuck caliper holds the pad against the rotor constantly, causing rapid wear and grinding. Shop brake calipers