2009 Mustang Rear Grinding Noise

[Sean Passino]

Recently I bought a 2009 Mustang GT (5-Speed Manual) from a family member. The car has been awesome, but I’ve noticed a weird grinding noise that seems to come from the rear of the car (closer to the passenger side). I hear the grinding noise the worst when I first start the car, but it seems to hang around while I’m driving too. I’ve heard it in every gear, but it only seems to happen when I’m accelerating. Today, I noticed the grinding noise while I was driving (~30 mph), so I pushed the clutch in and noticed the sound immediately went away. When I got home, I left the car in neutral and pressed on the gas pedal and heard it only when I pushed the pedal.

It almost feels like it could be a fuel pump issue, but I’ve never heard of fuel pumps grinding like that before and I don’t think I’m experiencing and other issues that would correlate to a bad fuel pump. Also, to add, before I bought it the car was in storage for about two years. It was started at least once a month, but never really driven that much. Does anyone have any ideas what this might be?

 

[Windstang]

I have a grinding noise too from the rear - sort of a TSHH TSHH TSHH and it changes with the speed. Took it to a shop and they said it was a bad diff. Took it to another and they figured it was coming from the brakes or bearings and they kind of verified to general location - from the passenger side. I replaced the bearings and still have the noise. Now I am considering replacing the brake calipers. Could be they are not retracting because they have some sort of screw in device to retract the pistons - but I am grasping at straws and don't want to throw money at it for nothing.

 

[Sean Passino]

what’s weird about mine is that I hear it when I’m stationary and in neutral, just revving the gas pedal. I wouldn’t think I have a brake or bearing issue because of that

 

[JC SSP]

Hmmm might be throw out bearing? Any difference when you depress and release the clutch pedal at idle?

 

[msvela448]

Sounds like a clutch throw out bearing if the noise goes away when you push in the clutch.

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[Windstang]

Yeah - sounds like a throwout bearing to me too. Mine is an auto - so thats not my issue. Good luck finding your issue.

 

[pass1over]

does sound like a TOB, or could be the pilot bearing. Park next to a wall, roll your windows down, you'll really be able to hear it then. Push clutch in, see if it goes away.

I have a grinding noise too from the rear - sort of a TSHH TSHH TSHH and it changes with the speed. Took it to a shop and they said it was a bad diff. Took it to another and they figured it was coming from the brakes or bearings and they kind of verified to general location - from the passenger side. I replaced the bearings and still have the noise. Now I am considering replacing the brake calipers. Could be they are not retracting because they have some sort of screw in device to retract the pistons - but I am grasping at straws and don't want to throw money at it for nothing.

if you jack the car up and spin the wheel by hand, can you reproduce the noise? The slide pins on the rear calipers are very easy to grease and verify movement. Look at the brake pads and see if one of them is worn weird, it might be dragging.

The pistons only need to be screwed in when putting new pads in, with the proper tools, it's not hard to get them back in.

 

[Windstang]

I took it to a shop and up on the lift it went. It was pretty obvious that the noise was coming from the wheel area not the diff. Since the bearing change I haven't jacked it up and let it run so I can listen to the noise but it is there when I drive. I have looked at the brake pads to see if they are worn strangely or much more than what I would consider normal and they look fine. I also replaced the pads and had issues with turning the cylinders in. To get the pistons to retract I had to remove the brake line and the pistons turned in easily but they just wouldn't retract with the hose connected. Makes me also think there is a check valve in the rear lines somewhere that is preventing the cylinders from retracting and pushing the fluid back a bit or releasing pressure but the brakes aren't overly hot to the touch after a trip so that theory is questionable.
Also when driving and I touch the brakes lightly the TSHH TSHH noise doesn't change - but it could be that the front gets the first bit of pressure and the back are not getting enough pressure to push on the pads. Other than the TSHH TSHH noise thngs seem fine - except annoying and it would be nice for a quieter rear. I have thought that perhaps the axle is bent and that is causing some wheel wiggle which would cause some brake touching as the rotor rotates, but nothing is getting hot or wearing unevenly.