How to Repair Squeaky Brakes

A squeaky brake can rate up there with fingernails on a chalk board for a sound that will make you shudder. Unlike the sound from the chalkboard, squeaky brakes may be more than annoying. They can be dangerous. While squeaky brakes can mean nothing but noise, they can signal impending brake failure. Finding and repairing the squeak should be a high priority for car owners.

Instructions

1

Drive the car slowly with someone standing nearby outside of the vehicle. Apply the brakes to cause the squeak to occur. The outside person should listen to determine which wheel has the squeaky brake. Jack the car to raise the offending wheel off the ground. Use a lug wrench to remove the lug nuts. Slide the tire and wheel from the car to expose the brakes.

2




Brakes shoes are exposed, after the brake hub is removed.

Inspect the rotor or pull the brake hub and check it for signs of damage caused by the metal of the brake pads or shoes rubbing against it. This damage will appear as grooves forming around the rotor or inside the outer rim of the hub. If this damage is found, the pads or shoes will need to be replaced. The rotor or brake hub must be removed and repaired or replaced to eliminate the squeak. You might also look at the brake pads. Disc brake pads have a metal tab designed to scrape against the rotor when the pad becomes worn to warn the driver that new brake pads will be needed soon. This tab can be bent out of the way for a temporary fix, but it is better to just replace the pads while you have the brakes exposed. If this does not seem to be the problem, continue to Step 3.

3




Disk calipers push the pads against the rotor to stop the car.

Examine the area around the pads or inside the brake hub for foreign material. Small rocks, oil or other items can cause brakes to squeak when some of the material gets between the pad or shoe and the braking surface of the rotor or hub. Removing this material will often eliminate the squeak.

4




This is a new brake rotor.

Look carefully at the surface of the brake pads or shoes. With brake pads, you will have to loosen, or remove, the fasteners for the caliper, and move it out of the way. Lift the pads from their sockets to turn them over, so the surface is visible. You are seeking a spot on the pad or shoe that appears to be soiled or has a different texture or appearance. It may seem to be crystallized. Use fine sandpaper to sand away this area. It is best if you sand the entire surface lightly to keep it flat and smooth. If the squeak is still there, replace the brake pads or shoes to correct the problem.