I took my 2003 Mazda Protege 5 in for brake service and got the calipers changed as well as the pads. The brakes worked fine, but started squeeking loudly when I was coasting on them.
Took it in again and they replaced the pads a second time…same thing happened.
This last time I took it in, they used ceramic pads instead, and I thougt all was fine until a week later when the brakes started squeeking AGAIN. The mechanic pretty much told me this was all he could do for me and does not know why my brakes continue to squeek.
Any thoughts?
I’ll bet they tossed your anti-squeal shims out with the old pads. Squealing happens when the pad backing plate vibrates against the caliper piston. This can be caused by a number of factors. If the shims are gone, you can replace them but they are sometimes expensive. For example, my Toyota has two shims per pad. One is cheap but the other one is $40 for the pair! A cheaper alternative is to use some brake pad anti-squeal adhesive. I forget the brand name but it’s available at most parts stores. It’s a pink liquid you apply to the back of the pad and allow to dry. It works very well in lieu of the OEM shims.