My Makita drill driver making weird grinding noise and stalling - help!

Hey everyone, having some trouble with my Makita XPH07Z hammer drill/driver. It's about 2 years old, used mostly for DIY projects. Lately it's been making this weird grinding noise when I'm driving screws, and sometimes it just stalls out completely. Battery seems fine (charges normally), but the tool itself feels rough. Anyone else had this issue? I'm not super technical but can handle basic fixes if it's something simple.

OP - classic symptom of worn planetary gears or a failing motor bearing. The XPH07Z has a known issue with the gear housing wearing down after heavy use. I've got three of these in my collection - two work perfectly, one had the exact same symptoms. If it's still under warranty, contact Makita. If not, you can get replacement gear sets online for about $25. The repair isn't too bad if you're comfortable taking tools apart - just need some Torx bits and patience. Let me know if you need the part numbers!

Seen this a dozen times on job sites. Before you order parts, check the chuck first. Sometimes debris gets in there and causes grinding noises that sound like they're coming from inside. Try removing the chuck completely (left-hand thread, turn clockwise to remove), clean it out, and see if the noise persists. Also, what battery are you using? The 5.0Ah batteries sometimes don't deliver enough current under load and can cause stalling, especially if the cells are aging.

I'm just an apprentice but my boss had me fix something similar last month! It was actually the brush assembly in his DeWalt. The brushes were worn unevenly and causing arcing and weird noises. Maybe check if your Makita has accessible brushes? Sorry if that's not helpful - still learning all this stuff myself!

Mike and Larry covered the main possibilities. I'll add - if it's stalling under load, could also be the electronic clutch/controller going bad. My collection includes several 'problem child' tools I've fixed up, and electronic issues often mimic mechanical ones. Does the noise happen even when it's not under load? Like if you just pull the trigger slowly without a bit in the chuck? That can help narrow it down. Also +1 to checking warranty first - Makita's service is pretty good in my experience.