clinking noise and pulsating when braking. owner says it's the strut, husband says it might be the abs

Is the ABS light on ? Sounds like the rotors are warped that is why its pulsating and rotors being warped causing brake pads to move in and out causing the clicking noise.

Do you feel the pulsating in the brake pedal when you apply the brakes ?

the whole car shakes when i brake. and it's more like a scraping noise, not like the pads are gone or anything. it's more like metal grinding somewhere in the front passenger side only when braking. I didn't notice if the abs light was on or not

If you only hear this noise when braking it has to do with something with the brakes the scraping noise you hear is brake pads are worn out and is metal to metal against the rotor.

The only way to be sure with out looking at it is to get a brake check other then that just guessing.

Brake pads wear un-even. Sometimes looking at them it appears there is pad left, but on the low back of the pad you're metal to metal. When the tire is cold, run your finger over the rotor. If it has any grove in it, get the brake looked at and fixed. I have seen car tires catch on fire due to an over heated rotor. I'm sure there are people out there have seen the car with the entire rotor worn through. If you're metal on metal, you may need new rotors. Not like in the old days where you can turn the rotors several times, some today have no rotor turn capabilities and others you get one turn only due to the thinness and material that they are made from.