I recently had a dealership mechanic check out a couple of annoying noises my 2012 Jeep Liberty had been making for a few months. The one that really bothers me is a squeak coming from under the hood. It squeaks pretty constantly when I’m accelerating at all, only stops when I brake. Now, I’m totally clueless about cars and I realize how easy it would be for me to be taken advantage of, but I don’t want to be bitchy to the guys fixing my car. I was told this squeak is the brake caliper slide so I told them to go ahead and fix it. The guy comes back 3 hours later (had to order the part) and says he’s replaced the part and did all he could but it still squeaks. Am I being jerked around? Should I just take it elsewhere for a second opinion? It’s been months and I can’t stand the damn squeak any longer!
You need to get a second opinion. Most of the time…the brake caliper slide is lubricated if it squeaks. In any event…find another mechanic…preferably an independent one. Just because the guy works at a dealership it gives him no qualification whatsoever.
You’re being jerked around. How would a brake caliper slide squeak as you accelerate? It only moves when you brake. Get a second opinion from an independent mechanic.
If it stops when you brake it is the brake pads. I would take it to an independent in your area. Find one in the Mechanics Files link above. If the pads are not worn, than, maybe just adding brake grease behind the pads will take care of it.
Buy a can of silicone spray lube and start spraying front suspension components one at a time with some test drive time in between. Don’t spray large areas. Use the snorkel and concentrate on rubber bushings and other joining points. I’d start at the swaybar links. A mechanic would be very expensive but a handy family member,neighbor or friend could easily do this.
I’d have to agree with the others. I don’t see how a slider could squeak. If it’s a very high pitched squeak like fingernails on a black board that disappears when you step on the brake pedal then it’s probably the audible wear indicators on the brake pads.
I don’t know how a mechanic could miss this.
making sure that your brake parts are lubercated is good, but there is also the wheel cyclinder. if the pin in it isnt lubercated properly or there is debry there it can squeak.
i would get a second opinon
lubercated debry OKfine
The odds of a brake caliper slide squeaking are about zero IMO. Sounds like a brake pad issue; either worn, glazed, etc.
Pad squeaks (along with grinds and groans) can be present even on almost new brakes all depending.
When I read that he said it was the brake caliper slide, I thought “huh?”.
I’m happy to see my “huh” confirmed by others.
And now, a question: how many miles you got? Is it due for a serpentine belt?
Try lifting the hood, putting your head under there, and revving the engine manually or having a friend or family member rev the engine. Stand to the side of the vehicle just to be on the safe side. I’ll bet you’ll find your squeak. You might even have a can of “belt dressing” handy to verify. “Belt dressing” adds friction, but if the noise disappears when you spray it, that does NOT mean it’s fixed. It means it needs a belt.
It’s not the slide that squeaks, it’s the pads. But a sticking slider can cause one pad to drag and that can lead to squealing…
You may need a brake hardware kit installed in your calipers. These are the little metal pieces that the ends of the pads ride on. One of the little pieces could be vibrating due to rust or wear. These pieces should be replaced each time the pads are changed, but they seldom are.