Car has a screeching sound when I brake and shaking the steering wheel?

Good morning, KAMAREE,

I have seen this before on a Subaru. On that vehicle, it had a seized caliper on one side in the front. I suspect you are having the same issue.

The brake caliper may be seized or partially seized so the scraping noise is one of the brake pads has worn down to nothing because the caliper isn't moving.

There are 2 parts that move on a brake caliper, the piston and the slides. If the slides are seized from corrosion the piston will still move but the slides won't. When you apply the brake the piston on the caliper is on one side and pushes on the pad on that side towards the rotor. Once the brake pad on the piston side gets to the rotor the caliper will then pull the pad on the other side towards the rotor. This way it clamps evenly on both sides of the rotor.

This is called a floating caliper. To enable it to "float" or pull the other pad in it relies on something called slide pins. These slide pins will corrode and swell, and it prevents the caliper from moving. So, it is only using the pad on one side of the rotor, which is probably worn down to metal and making the screeching noise.

The shaking is being caused by the anti-lock brake system, which monitors wheel speed. It is sensing that one of the wheels is moving slower than the other and tries to correct it by activating. Since the brakes are only working on one side, the side with the good or working brakes slows down more than the other side. The module then pulses the brakes thinking the tire is slipping because it is moving slower than others. The ABS pulse is hitting the brake and releasing the brake rapidly and causing the steering wheel to shake.

I would chock the rear wheels, loosen the lug nuts, jack the vehicle up, put it on jackstands and remove the front tires and inspect the brakes. You may have to remove the caliper to get a good view, or you might see it immediately as excessive wear on the rotor. It should be the inside pad. One side of the car's front brakes should have one pad that is worn down more than the other.

I am adding some information on how to safely lift the vehicle.

Also, if you do end up removing the caliper, hang it from the strut with some wire or a bungee cord to prevent damage to the brake line.

If this is what is going on you will need to replace the caliper and pads and rotors on both sides. You will also need to bleed the brakes.

Take a look and let me know what you find, and we can go from there.

Thank you,
Brendon