Hi, was wondering if anybody here has had this happen. After first starting, the noise only happens once after going about a meter and stops. Happens only short while after starting and going a meter.

Its a a scraping sound, dont know it its the brakes, but i dont think its the cv joints as there is no noise when driving or accelerating.

Its not the engine, as the engine is quiet, after start, and idles smoothly, sound only happens after traveling a meter and i think its coming from the left front, its a short scraping sound that happens only for a short second. and there is no noise anymore until the next start and travel after one meter.

checked steering fluid, its right on the max, engine oil also right on the max, coolant is getting low, a week ago had a wheel alignment and balancing done and the noise situation was present before and after.

does it only happen when driving that one meter, or does it happen when the car is stationary?

it happens only after driving one meter, no noises when stationary. after a meter, then a short scraping sound, and car goes fine, no noises after that!

maybe its something to do with hydraulics?

which i think is weird, because i honestly can't narrow it down to anything right now.

sounds like the ABS self test to me

Could it be noise from the ABS unit mounted ahead of the passenger, near the firewall - a fair sized metallic block with lots of metal brake fluid lines coming out of it? If so, its likely to be completely normal. Glovebox operators manual will probably mention that a noise form ABS unit is normal.

Perhaps you could try to isolate the noise - bonnet up while an accomplice drives the car a few metres, or something?

Found this which adds to the ABS theory:
Each time the vehicle is driven, as soon as vehicle speed reaches approximately 20 km/h (12 mph), the anti-lock brake control module turns on the pump motor for approximately one-half second. At this time, a mechanical noise may be heard. This is a normal function of the self-check by the anti-lock brake control module.

lol dan, if you are right, which I think you are, as im starting to go red, because I think that is probably what it is, omg...

can't believe im so daft. never had an ABS car before, thats my excuse. god, how you all must be laughing at me. facepalm!

bought it for the better half to go to work in, im very very happy driving my old 94 tr, but i think i must learn a lot more about her new car and this "abs", "airbags" and other technology things lol lol

thanks dan and belto, never knew cars did self abs test after start. my old folks have a bmw z4 and a toyota tundra like family wagon thing, and they never did that (im assuming they have abs, as they are fairly new cars). never did drive them though, as they would never EVER let me lol

wow, i feel like im getting old.

Found this which adds to the ABS theory:
Each time the vehicle is driven, as soon as vehicle speed reaches approximately 20 km/h (12 mph), the anti-lock brake control module turns on the pump motor for approximately one-half second. At this time, a mechanical noise may be heard. This is a normal function of the self-check by the anti-lock brake control module.

the sound comes after like driving a short distance, not enough to reach 5km/h even, its like a meter from where its parked then the noise comes. hope its still the abs, as the better half was worried

Could it be noise from the ABS unit mounted ahead of the passenger, near the firewall - a fair sized metallic block with lots of metal brake fluid lines coming out of it? If so, its likely to be completely normal. Glovebox operators manual will probably mention that a noise form ABS unit is normal.

Perhaps you could try to isolate the noise - bonnet up while an accomplice drives the car a few metres, or something?

I did that, with the better half driving, but hearing nothing from the engine area, will definitely check the abs unit. where is the firewall exactly, hold on, better idea, will google it.

people here are so supportive, its like a family except you all have COOL uber cars lol :XD

Despite all clues pointing the source of your noise to the ABS, I've never heard it cycle in my TL. On my Commodore with similar Bosch ABS, I would notice it happen maybe once a month, usually sitting at the lights with the brake pedal depressed. (which contradicts my previous post!) Can air trapped in the heater matrix cause this noise?
Try downloading the manual as it has excellent line drawings locating all items including the ABS.

i'd put my money on the ABS unit, its a very unusual noise especially once you are testing them, my mate did it in his car and i didn't know what it was till he told me, sounded like he broke something

Hey guys, did not have time to check it out due to the wife's inability to coordinate time (we are both working, and at different places)
not to mention the bad weather this week...

will definitely check it out tomorrow, am going to look on the internet to locate the firewall (its just a terminology for the barrier which segments the engine bay from the passenger area, isn't it? )

http://www.brennanscars.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/2003%20MITSUBISHI%20MAGNA%20SEDAN%20SGL%20883%2000 4.jpg

i found this pic on the net, which unit is the abs?

It's probably down beneath where your compliance labels are.

Try a high pressure hose on the wheel sensors (a toothed magnetic pickup just behing the discs on front wheels)

If the sensor is dirty then the ABS system will keep trying to relearn every time you start up.

Does the traction control light come up? That is a dead giveaway.

It's probably down beneath where your compliance labels are.

Try a high pressure hose on the wheel sensors (a toothed magnetic pickup just behing the discs on front wheels)

If the sensor is dirty then the ABS system will keep trying to relearn every time you start up.

Does the traction control light come up? That is a dead giveaway.

will try cleaning the sensors tomorrow, the traction control light doesnt come up that i know of, and will run alongside the car with the hood up to listen to the abs tomorrow (feel like such a donkey doing this lol)

that is a nice car you have, omg that factory race 380 isnt it? was looking to get that for the wife, but got a 2005 tw instead. omg, that bodykit makes the car perfect, the only 380 flaw was the hideously high rear, the car is pretty nigh spot on perfect now! wow.

edit: meant get that as in a 380, tmr380 is TOO expensive!

Have a look in your engine bay, on the passenger side, probably a bit towards the pass side from those compliance plates.

You are looking for a unit mounted near the firewall (that division between engine bay and the cabin), which looks like a solid block of aluminium (say 10cm x 15cm x 15cm) and it has several narrow metal tubes running into/out of it. Its a computer-controlled high-pressure pump, which can send extremely rapid high-pressure fluid to each of the four brake calipers (at your wheels) in any combination (that's roughly how ABS brakes work, when they need to). It will be quite near the air-filter housing, behind it and lower.

Hard to miss if you have a look, and its not actually visible in the pic you put up - you need to look down into engine bay to see it.
Once you have seen it (possibly more important that your missus sees it), work out in your mind where it sits in the engine bay as if you are stiing in the car. Go for a short drive and try to visualise if that is the source of your strange noise.....

If you think it is, I seriously would not bother trying to clean the sensors at the wheels. It is likely to make the noise on all start-ups, that's the impression I get from the glovebox Operators Manual.

In the picture you can see the pipes attached to it just to the left of the passenger side strut - it has EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution) stamped on it. Mine on the TL is identical to the ABS unit on my Commodore - on Commodores, a similar intermittent ABS warning light can happen if the engine has been degreased using an alkaine based degreaser which gets in the plug that attaches to the unit and corrodes the connectors inside.

http://www.brennanscars.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/2003%20MITSUBISHI%20MAGNA%20SEDAN%20SGL%20883%2000 4.jpg

i found this pic on the net, which unit is the abs?

?
http://www.picturestack.com/119/188/U3a2003MITSUBiMz.jpg

Just a thought, Might be also worthwhile checking brake pad thickness, possible debris and the backing plate too just in case it's bent/touching. I've never heard any unusual ABS self-test noises in my TW? Maybe the caliper guide pins are sticking and the brakes drag momentarily? Water got into my guide pins and the bottom ones were stuck hard(corrosion).