Hello everyone. Just looking some help. I'm not sure if I'm in the right area. I drive a 2005 lexus es330. About a month ago, I took my car in for a wash, did the under carriage wash as well. When driving afterward, I noticed a metal scraping noise, especially when I turned right that got worse with acceleration, not during braking. That was actually the next day. After driving for a few minutes, the noise went away when driving forward. On my way back home, the noise while turning right was gone. So I thought, no worries. Now,I notice that I get that noise after any rain fall, even if I haven't drove in the rain. The noise does still go away after it dries up around here. It is never when I turn left, my steering is not off, and it rains ALOT around here lately, almost nightly. Any thoughts on this. Brakes are good as my last oil change two months ago. Tires only have 4500 miles on them.any help is appreciated

 

Welcome to CL.

Does the noise occur only while turning? It is perfectly normal for most vehicles with steel disc-brake rotors and slotted wheels to produce a metallic-sounding scrape on the first few brake applications after the rotors get wet. You'll notice a thin layer of orange or brown rust on them, caused by the action of the rain (or wash) water on the rotors......again, that's normal, as stainless steel, which is rust-resistant, is not normally used for mass-production rotors. The scrape you hear, when you press the brake pedal, is the sound of the brake-pads rubbing off the thin layer of rust. The brakes should return to normal, without noise, after a couple of applications, usually within a quarter of a mile or so. If they don't, then you have to start checking for other reasons.

 

No, it sometimes happens when i am driving straight. Only for a few blocks, and when i accelerate, not brake.

 

That type of noise on acceleration is most commonly associated with worn CV (constant-velocity) joints, though it wouldn't entirely explain why the noise occurs more often when wet. The CV joints, BTW, on your ES, if you are not aware of it, are located where the two front front drive-shafts feed power to the front wheels. They allow the wheels to both steer and power at the same time, and tend to be a wear-issue over time in FWD and AWD vehicles.

And if that's not it, then right now, I'm out of suggestions.

 

Ok. Thank you very much. I appreciate your help