When your 2020 Infiniti QX60 produces a metal-on-metal grinding noise during braking, the brake pads have worn completely through and the metal backing plates are contacting the rotors. This is a severe condition requiring immediate attention - every brake application causes additional damage.
Complete Pad Wear
Brake pads have friction material that wears down over time. When this material is completely gone, only the metal backing plate remains. This metal grinding against the metal rotor creates the distinctive metal-on-metal sound that indicates critical brake condition.
Immediate Damage Occurring
Metal-on-metal contact damages rotors rapidly. What might have been a brake pad replacement becomes a rotor replacement as well. Continuing to drive creates grooves, heat damage, and potentially cracks in the rotors. Each stop makes the situation worse and more expensive.
Safety Implications
Beyond the damage, metal-on-metal brakes have severely compromised stopping ability. The steel backing plate has minimal friction compared to brake pad material. Stopping distances are significantly increased, and brake feel is unpredictable.
How This Happens
Metal-on-metal wear indicates missed warning signs - squealing from wear indicators that should have prompted service. The QX60 may have been driven past the warning phase. Regular brake inspections prevent this severe condition.
What Needs Replacement
At minimum, brake pads and rotors need replacement on the affected axle. Calipers should be inspected for damage from the metal contact. Brake fluid may need flushing if debris contaminated the system. A complete brake inspection is necessary.
Immediate Action
Stop driving the vehicle and have it towed to a brake shop or dealer. Continuing to drive risks brake failure, further damage, and unsafe stopping. This is not a "drive it a little longer" situation - it's a safety emergency.