I did this job almost exactly a year ago, new rotors and pads. This AM I hear grinding. Yikes!!!!! Stop at the shop for pads on the way home. Get home, pull the drivers side front, we are talking like 2% on the inside and maybe 30% on the outside. Didnt look at the passenger side, but there seems to be grinding from that side too.

The brakes dont pull and stop *really* well, but something's up here. I have a minor pulsation when stopping, but it feels more like a tire (rather worn) or suspension (also worn, needs to be dealt with) issue. The car is going to remain parked tomorrow, and it seems I have a minor caliper rebuild in store for Sunday. There was no evidence of sticking this time last year, but I suppose this is reason to check these things more often.

Also, my anti-rattle springs are GONE. I distinctly remember reistalling them after the last brake job. Where the hell could they be?

Jonathan,

You most likely have a frozen brake caliper. (Maybe 2)

The caliper is not releasing completely and you are wearing out your pads as if you were riding the brake. The rear calipers are more prone to seizing than the fronts. Other posts suggest a complete brake fluid change to eliminate moisture from the brake system to help eliminate frozen calipers and rusted out brake lines. I personally have a real good brake guy who lives a couple of miles from my house and I let him deal with all my brake needs. Anyways, check the operation of your calipers

and rebuild...or replace if needed.

If you need to drive the car and don't want to grind your brakes

you can use your e-brake to slow down and stop...Just make sure you drive

at mellow speeds and give yourself extra room to stop. The volvo has a separate set of drum brakes on the rear. This feature helped me get through a couple of days of driving till my mechanic could work on my car.

Good luck,

Jack W.

Jonathan -- I've got you beat! When my elder son was driving his first year, I went through a set of pads in 10,000 miles. He was a digital driver -- full on, full off.

Anyway, those anti-rattle/retaining gizmos are on the road somewhere. The bent springy metal ones on the rears seem to suffer attrition for me moreso than the fronts. RPR, IPD, FCP of Groton, among others, sell them.

By the way -- the pulsation business -- don't some brands of pads have a different-friction compound down in the bottom portion of the pad so a pulsation sets in as a 'time-to-replace' indicator? You may be OK here.

Rob