Whether the conditions that cause the noise are due to poorly lubricated calipers, worn down shims, or your brakes are at the end of their life span, you have three options:. When brake pads and rotors get worn down enough, your brakes may stop working altogether, which can result in fatal car accidents.
Learn more about car maintenance safety and how you can be a better driver out on the roads using DriveSafe Online. Squeaky Brakes? And is it Really a Crime? September 29, West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming. Pin It on Pinterest. Share This Share this post with your friends! If you're contending with squeaky brakes you might be wondering if it's safe to drive with them, how much it'll cost to fix them, and how to remedy the issue. We've got the answers to all your squeaky brake woes, let's get started.
First, it's good to identify the cause of the squeak. You should know that all brakes make some noise sometimes and that the occasional squeak isn't a problem. A squeaky brake can stop a car just like a silent one can. Most modern brakes use a cast-iron disc squeezed between two brake pads lined with friction material.
Some higher-end vehicles use pricey carbon-ceramic discs or even special tungsten carbide coatings on the disc, but your average commuter is going to use big discs of steel. Most brake squeals occur at a single discrete frequency.
The speed of the vehicle and how hard you press down on the left pedal will only change the volume of noise, as the pitch is controlled by the stiffness and mass of the pad and disc. Inadequate development at the manufacturer level that leaves brake systems prone to noise can usually be overcome by a Saturday mechanic without totally re-engineering the entire system.
We can try to damp out the noise, or simply change the resonant frequency of the whole arrangement until it stops singing in any audible frequency. Here's how. Many brake pads will make a swishing or grinding noise for the first few stops in the morning until the pads warm up and shed any moisture they've accumulated overnight. That hissing or grinding noise on some rainy or dewy mornings is often just the pads sweeping off a thin film of rust that formed on the iron discs, and that's perfectly normal.
The brake pad compound itself can also make some noise. In the past, brake pad friction material contained a lot of asbestos. Melissa from Manhasset, New York. Take your car back to the shop. Sounds to me like the pad insulators, anti rattle clips, or calipers are loose.
The squeal you hear is the result of vibration of the brake pads. I would not expect to be charged; this should be covered under the brake job warranty.
Melissa brings up a popular topic that needs to be addressed. Brake squeal is common and can be caused by a number of conditions: Worn pads, glazed pads and rotors, broken anti rattle clips, lack of pad insulation or insulation shims, and incorrect rotor surface cut or no surface cut at all. Let's take a closer look. A brake pad is comprised of steel backing with friction material attached to it. Application of the brakes produces hydraulic pressure that causes the brake pads via brake calipers to clamp down on the rotors discs creating friction.
It is the friction of the pads against the rotors that slows and stops the vehicle. When the friction material on the pads wears down, it is time to change the pads. Some pads are equipped with a wear indicator, which is a small spring steel clip. When a pad is worn, this clip makes contact with the rotor and generates a high-pitched squeal, telling you that it is time to service the brakes.
Since an electronic parking brake is computer actuated, special equipment is often required to perform any sort of brake servicing. For most passenger vehicles, your brakes should remain quiet under normal operation. These usually pertain to high-performance vehicles with heavy-duty braking systems. The rotors and pad compounds used on these braking systems are inherently noisy, especially when cold.
The trade-off with these brakes is more durability for extended periods of heavy use. Now you know the common causes of squeaky brakes. Depending on your case, the fix could be as simple as applying some grease, or you may need to perform a complete brake job.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice and is for information only.
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