Ran into another H3 with my problem yesterday ...

[fourfourto]

This summer I was at the beach every other week used 4H lock and used
4 low a couple times fooling around the back dunes and some rocks.
so my tranfer case gets cycled every few weeks.
The sound is definatly from the brakes.


I don't off-road mine

Hmmm3 say its not so

get out there and tear it up

[Hmmm2]

Originally Posted by fourfourto

I don't off-road mine

Hmmm3 say its not so

get out there and tear it up

LOL, fourfourto. Chrome, mudflaps, steps prevent me in THIS vehicle. I have off-roaded in H3's and an H2, tho ..just not mine.

[fourfourto]

I wheel with mudflaps and steps,I just limit myself and know when to back up only got a small scuff on bottom of steps on this hill no big deal.

[Hmmm2]

Originally Posted by fourfourto

I wheel with mudflaps and steps,I just limit myself and know when to back up only got a small scuff on bottom of steps on this hill no big deal.

Ooooookay, fourfourto .. I'll baptize her. I'll let you know when I try MY H3 on some hills. Just know I'll have my teeth clenched and eyes closed when I think I might scrape any chrome/bling.

[f5fstop]

Ok, you guys got me, in the past two days, I have noticed this groaning from the left rear brake; not a grinding, but more of a groaning when coming to a stop under heavy pressure. Slow stopping does not bring on the noise, only heavy or very heavy.
At this point I am not sure what it is, but it is not due to a warped rotor, this was confirmed today.
Personally, I'm leaning toward the inside the rotor's hat park brake assembly, and the brake shoes rotating on a dry backing plate. (L-Series Saturns had the same rear park brake system, and the same type of groaning noise; not as loud, but similar.) In other words, the park brake shoes are hanging up. This could explain why the rotor is removed and turned and reinstalled, the noise goes away due to the freeing up of the park brake assembly when the rotor is removed.
If it is the park brake, it would not cause a braking problem, only an aggravating noise problem.
I am trying to schedule the H3 brake service engineer to come over to my facility and let's tear into this and figure out exactly what it is.
This will take a few days, but I'll keep you informed.

[Hmmm2]

Originally Posted by f5fstop

Ok, you guys got me, in the past two days, I have noticed this groaning from the left rear brake; not a grinding, but more of a groaning when coming to a stop under heavy pressure. Slow stopping does not bring on the noise, only heavy or very heavy.

Yessss, you're right, f5fstop ... it is more of a groan than a grind. I can't wait to hear what you find out about yours! My H3 is fine so far .. I hope they found mine and finally took care of it. I can't even imagine living with that 'groan' sound for the life of the vehicle. Do you feel it in your brake, too .. same as fourfourto and myself? Keep us in the loop.

[fourfourto]

CHP said to check e brake, I have no play in the cable .

I do use the e brake everyday at home because of incline.
Maybe e brake dust gets caught up in the lever or in the drum over time?

I guess i could go along with more of a groan than a grind


Mine seams fine now and the dealer cleaned brakes ,I dont know if they removed the rotors .Maybe they cleaned e brake also thats why it ok for now.

F5 go down a long hill 60 MPH and stop on the hard side at the bottom.It is (was) most noticable then.

[fourfourto]

Originally Posted by f5fstop

Ok, you guys got me, in the past two days, I have noticed this groaning from the left rear brake; not a grinding, but more of a groaning when coming to a stop under heavy pressure. Slow stopping does not bring on the noise, only heavy or very heavy.
At this point I am not sure what it is, but it is not due to a warped rotor, this was confirmed today.
Personally, I'm leaning toward the inside the rotor's hat park brake assembly, and the brake shoes rotating on a dry backing plate. (L-Series Saturns had the same rear park brake system, and the same type of groaning noise; not as loud, but similar.) In other words, the park brake shoes are hanging up. This could explain why the rotor is removed and turned and reinstalled, the noise goes away due to the freeing up of the park brake assembly when the rotor is removed.
If it is the park brake, it would not cause a braking problem, only an aggravating noise problem.





I am trying to schedule the H3 brake service engineer to come over to my facility and let's tear into this and figure out exactly what it is.
This will take a few days, but I'll keep you informed.

Any word from the service engineer?
Im getting a little groan again

[Hmmm2]

Originally Posted by fourfourto

Im getting a little groan again

Ohhhh noooo. Bummer! I still bet it's a rotor problem. I spoke to one of the two service managers today at the first dealer who couldn't figure out or fix my problem. I told him what the OTHER dealer found and fixed (he didn't ask). Then, I told him I ran into another H3 owner last week who had the same problem as I had. After I finished talking he said, "Yeah, we had a few come in after yours with the same problem you had described." It sounds to me that more H3 owners are experiencing it now...and this is only one dealer. Keep us updated! Maybe f5fstop will find out soon and post what his 3 is doing.

[f5fstop]

Originally Posted by fourfourto

Any word from the service engineer?
Im getting a little groan again

Nope and it will be a while. Only thing we have done is verified it is a noise and does not affect braking capabilities, or at least any we can determine. I feel no pull, vehicle stops ok, brakes don't lock up.

Personally, I'm thinking it is a park brake groan, someone else thinks it is the disc brake pad material or caliper piston resonance, someone thinks it is normal resonance from brake operation that is not isolated as it should be, and someone else thinks it is a suspension noise and not a brake noise.

Some say turning a rotor fixes the problem, but to turn a rotor, all these items on the brake system are affected when the rotor is removed. Braking surface is affected, park brake system inside the rotor hat is affected, and caliper piston is affected. So, if removing the rotor causes a temporary fix, what in that procedure is the real fix.