I just had the brakes replaced front and back on my 2004 Ford Escape. New pads, drums, and shoes. My mechanic said that the emergency brakes were on and wouldn’t release, so he disconnected the emergency brake line.
Now, when I apply the brakes, the wheels makes a loud squeal. Not all the time. (Intermittent). I’ve had this SUV since it was brand new and I’ve never heard this noise before. My mechanic is not sure what’s causing it. Any ideas?
J.R.H.
Are you saying your mechanic has permanently disabled the parking brake? This would be dangerous and possibly illegal. Do they have periodic safety inspections where you live? Will the car pass without a functional parking brake?
I suggest you have another mechanic inspect the brakes and put everything back together correctly. The parking brake should function, and if it doesn’t it may have something to do with the noise you’re hearing.
Correctly installed brake components shouldn’t squeal. There are shims, clips, and anti-squeal compound to prevent strange noises while braking. Perhaps some of those were left out of your brake job as well as the parking brake.