My brakes have been driving me crazy for a year. I have 60,000 miles on the car. They make a creaking/squeaking noise as I apply the brake pedal. The noise goes along with the rotation of the tires. I have new rotors, new pads, a new right front hub bearing, and a new control arm (which had been replaced before I bought the car).
Every time I finish at the shop, they are quiet for a few days or weeks. Then the noise begins again.
It does not seem to be related to heat or cold weather, or whether the car is warm or cold. It comes from the right front side, where apparently the car was wrecked (or went over a curb hard) and repaired.
I am so frustrated with this noise!!! The brakes work fine, and I’d like to trust my mechanics, but oh boy. I wish I were closer to Boston (I’m in California) so Ray & Tom could diagnose it.
Maybe I’ll take a road trip. ha.
The first thing that should be found out is, after the brake service was performed, did someone take the vehicle for test drive to not only make sure the brakes functioned properly, but to also perform a break-in procedure for the brake pads and rotors. If this isn’t done, the brake pads and rotors fail to seat properly and there’s no transfer of friction material between the brake pads and rotors. This results in incompatable friction surfaces which causes a resonance to occur that causes brake noise.
Tester
The story about the wreck and the repairs done to the car prior to your purchase should be investigated further. Have the car checked by a body shop and a good alignment store.
Thanks for the good advice. I know the shop drove the car after the rotors and pads were installed, so one assumes they were setting them. The car is not out of alignment, at least not that I can tell when I drive. No pulling to one side, etc. The body shop is a good idea. It seems like I’m spending so much money! Maybe I just need to live with the noise, but that’s very frustrating for me!! I always think that every problem has a solution, so what’s mine?