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Grinding brakes + ABS light on Honda Civic
Aug 24, 2025
Got grinding brakes and an ABS light on your Honda Civic? We explain what’s going on and how to tackle it to keep your car safe. Perfect for Civic owners and DIY mechanics! Subscribe for more Honda repair tips and car maintenance advice. #HondaCivic #GrindingBrakes #ABSLight #CarRepair
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0:00
Hear that nasty grinding when you hit
0:01
the brakes and now the ABS lights
0:03
glaring at you on the dash? Yeah, that's
0:05
your Civic telling you it's not having a
0:07
good day. Hey, I'm Tom from Car Justify
0:10
and we're going to break down what's
0:11
going on, why the ABS lights on, and how
0:13
to fix it before your stopping power
0:15
goes from meh to oh no. So, grinding
0:17
brakes first. That usually means your
0:20
brake pads are worn down to the metal.
0:22
The pads are supposed to be a soft
0:23
friction material that squeezes the
0:26
rotor to slow you down. Once that's
0:28
gone, the metal backing plate starts
0:30
scraping the rotor. And that's the nails
0:32
on a chalkboard sound you're hearing. If
0:35
it's that bad, you'll need new pads and
0:37
probably new rotors, too, because once
0:39
they're gouged up, you can't really save
0:41
them. Now, here's where it ties in with
0:43
the ABS light. ABS stands for anti-lock
0:46
braking system. It uses little sensors
0:48
at each wheel to watch how fast the
0:50
wheels are spinning. If one starts to
0:52
lock up, the ABS pulses the brakes so
0:55
you can steer while stopping. When your
0:57
pads are shot and the brakes are
0:58
grinding, you can damage those sensors
1:01
or the tooththed ring they read from,
1:03
that's called a tone ring. Rust, metal
1:05
shavings, or even a broken sensor wire
1:07
can make the ABS freak out and throw
1:09
that warning light. I've also seen cases
1:12
where the brake fluid gets low because
1:14
the pads are worn and the ABS system
1:16
logs a fault. Low fluid can set off the
1:19
brake warning and sometimes the ABS
1:21
light, especially if air gets in the
1:22
lines. and air in the brake lines. Yeah,
1:25
that's like trying to stop your car by
1:27
stepping on a sponge. Here's how I'd
1:29
check it in the shop. First, look at all
1:31
four wheels through the spokes if you
1:33
can. See if the pads are super thin. You
1:36
should see at least an eighth of an inch
1:37
of friction material. If you can't, the
1:39
wheel might need to come off for a
1:40
better look. While you're down there,
1:42
peek at the ABS sensor wire. It's a
1:45
small wire leading to the hub. And see
1:47
if it's cut, cracked, or caked in metal
1:49
dust. If you want to get fancy, plug in
1:51
an OBD scanner that can read ABS codes.
1:54
That'll tell you exactly which wheel
1:55
sensor is having trouble. Sometimes it's
1:58
as simple as cleaning the sensor with
1:59
brake cleaner and a rag. Other times,
2:02
you'll have to replace it. And honestly,
2:04
if the pads and rotors are toast, I'd
2:06
replace those first, then clear the code
2:08
and see if the ABS light comes back.
2:11
Now, grinding brakes are one of those
2:12
fix it now, not later jobs. If you keep
2:15
driving, you can overheat the caliper.
2:17
That's the clamp that squeezes the pads.
2:19
And then you're looking at a much bigger
2:20
bill. Plus, no one wants to be the guy
2:23
coasting through a red light because the
2:24
brakes gave out. So, quick recap.
2:27
Grinding means pads are gone. Rotors
2:30
probably need replacing. And the ABS
2:32
light could be from a damaged sensor,
2:33
tone ring, low fluid, or even debris
2:36
messing with the system. Fix the brakes
2:38
first. Check the sensors. Then, scan for
2:40
codes if the light stays on. All right,
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that's it for today. If this video helps
2:45
you get your Civic stopping like it
2:46
should, give it a like. Subscribe to Car
2:49
Justify for more no BS car tips and drop
2:51
a comment if you've had your ABS light
2:53
come on with brake trouble. I've
2:54
probably seen your exact situation.