Q:
I can hear a knocking sound coming from my front left wheel when brakeing at above 40 mph.

asked by
Joshua L
on
October 02, 2016

It started after I took a road trip to Indianapolis (only 60 miles away). But it has progressively gotten worse to the point that when I brake at high speeds it makes a very loud knocking sound. I also notice that once I have almost come to a stop and i am barely applying the break it feels like the brake is applying then slipping over and over.

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In may cases the knocking sound coming from the wheel area is caused by one of two issues; a warped brake rotor or the wheel bearings that are beginning to wear out. Vehicles made after the late 1990’s (like your Malibu) have a single wheel bearing that was designed to last quite some time. However, if they’ve never been inspected or replaced, that could be the source of your noise. However, the fact that you’re having braking issues could indicate a different issue. The best bet is to contact one of our local mechanics to diagnose the knocking noise firsthand and repair this issue for you.

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