HELP!!!! Grinding noise and brake light on

[Donas64]

Need the brain trust to help me diagnose a few issues my car is having:

1. Smell of Antifreeze (or burning oil) but no leak after driving. Just had Valve cover replace a few months ago due to oil leaking from it. Could this be radiator or water pump?

2. Grinding metal on metal noise under low acceleration. Can't tell if it's coming from wheel well or engine bay. Very low pitched not loud at all but noticeable.

3. Don't know if this and #2 are related but the E-brake dash light comes on and stays on even when e-brake is disengaged. This started happening today.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[Dpwhitehead1]

couple things. check your brakes. they seem low. or something. bearings could be bad. your brake fluid could be low. coolant..idk.

 

[CheeseHelmet]

Sounds like it might be 3 unrelated things...

1) Have you been watching your fluid levels? That might give you a hint as to what you're smelling.

2) If it's only during acceleration is could be a bad axle. But could also simply be a bad wheel bearing or a stuck caliper.

3) This might be related to 2, check your brake fluid level.

 

[Donas64]

Sounds like it might be 3 unrelated things...

1) Have you been watching your fluid levels? That might give you a hint as to what you're smelling.


2) If it's only during acceleration is could be a bad axle. But could also simply be a bad wheel bearing or a stuck caliper.


3) This might be related to 2, check your brake fluid level.

I know the car burns oil. I keep it topped up but it's not leaking since I fixed the valve cover seal. Still smell it burning though.

I'm thinking stuck caliper as well. That makes the most sense to me since the e-brake light comes on

Fluid level looks a-ok!

 

[paper1122]

If you have a stuck caliper you are going to notice a burning smell. Let the vehicle cool down, then take a short ride ~1 mile. Stop the car and go to each wheel, if one wheel is emitting noticably more heat than the rest you have a caliper issue. If you have two wheels opposite each other (eg driver front, passenger rear) it is most likely an issue with the master cylinder. There could also exist the possibility that you have a collapsed brake line that is acting as a check valve, though this is less likely. The E-brake light could potentially be linked to the master cylinder. If what I've read from the shop manual is correct your e-brake light doubles as the brake system warning light.

 

[Donas64]

Thanks. I'll give that a look. the e-brake light has stayed off the past few days. No noticeable burning smell thus far. I'll have to take it to my local mechanic and give it the once over. Don't want to take any chances with my little girl in the car.

 

[Justin2129]

ive had my p5 2 and half years and it has smelled like antifreeze from day one...never any leaks or problems though

 

[MazdaSpeeder]

Antifreeze smell in the cabin makes me think that the heater core might have an issue. I had a Thunderbird that I had to replace the core in twice, and both times it started with that. Does your heat work well?

 

[Donas64]

ive had my p5 2 and half years and it has smelled like antifreeze from day one...never any leaks or problems though

That's somewhat comforting. I have not noticed any leaks either.

Antifreeze smell in the cabin makes me think that the heater core might have an issue. I had a Thunderbird that I had to replace the core in twice, and both times it started with that. Does your heat work well?

The smell is not in the cabin. Only apparent after car is parked and I step out. I get a whiff on occasions