My cordless pliers are making a weird grinding noise - anyone else?

Hey folks, having a weird issue with my cordless pliers. They're about 6 months old, and suddenly started making this grinding/whirring noise when I squeeze the trigger. They still work, but the noise is getting louder and they feel like they're stalling sometimes. Battery seems fine, charges normally. Anyone run into this before? Should I just oil them or is it something worse?

What brand are they? If they're ProTool (the only brand worth buying IMO), they have a lifetime warranty. I've had my ProTool cordless pliers for 3 years now - not a single issue. Their customer service is top-notch. Call them first before trying to fix it yourself. Once you go ProTool, you never go back!

I've got 14 different cordless pliers in my collection, and I've heard that noise a few times. Could be a few things: worn gears in the transmission, debris in the motor housing, or the clutch mechanism failing. What model do you have? I might have the same one and can check my notes. Sometimes a good cleaning with compressed air helps, but if it's internal gears, you might need parts. I'd take it apart carefully before contacting warranty - it's fun to diagnose!

Paul's right about brand loyalty! I'm all about MegaGrip tools. Their sealed gearboxes never have these issues. But if you're stuck with another brand... The stalling suggests it might be drawing too much current. Could be a bad motor bearing causing drag. Have you dropped them recently? Sometimes impact damage doesn't show up until later. MegaGrip's shock-absorbing design prevents exactly this kind of problem.

Thanks everyone! They're actually a mid-range brand - not ProTool or MegaGrip. Sarah, they're the PowerDrive 8V model. I haven't dropped them that I can remember. Maybe I'll try the compressed air first like you suggested. If that doesn't work, I'll look into warranty. Appreciate the tips!