Question about my brakes

"cazzyodo" (cazzyodo) 02/19/2014 at 09:44 • Filed to: Helplopnik

1

26

We all know it's been a cold and blustery winter, my first one with the ST has been a doozy. Every inch of snow and degree below freezing has added value to my (also first) snow tire purchase. I'm loving it.

What I am not loving is the onset of squeaking brakes.

The cold hit us hard in January with well below 0 on some days/nights. I did not have a single problem during that or any prior storms. However, this month has been filled with metallic shrills. I went in to have it looked at the other day but I was waaaaay too close to closing for them to check it out (why are normal business hours during MY normal business hours?). Guy at the service desk, who I have never seen there before, was kind of a dick (my friend said that I was too polite to the guy).

He asked if my car sits for prolonged periods of time between drives: no, driven every day.

He asked if it is every day: yes...and it's obnoxious.

He said that the brakes have a metal coating so it happens in the cold and to look at forums online. He also stated that many cars do this in the winter, too!: why would it start halfway through the winter? I also checked forums and there are some posts with similar complaints. However, I haven't heard a single other car squeal this winter...stop and go traffic last night was allllll me. I'm getting sick of pulling up to lights and having people look directly at me for piercing their eardrums.

Mileage is under 6,000 miles. Squeaking really only occurs under 30mph when coming to a complete or almost complete stop. Hard stops are fine. Regular maintenance has been performed. I had an oil change and such after Christmas and there's a whatever point inspection once over that didn't flag anything. It's probably nothing, 99% sure, but I would rather be safe than sorry.

I plan on bringing it in during my lunch to have them at least do a courtesy check. I've only had a 10 year old car squeak at me and it was because someone in my family wore down the brakes before I came home from school. A new car, in my mind, shouldn't sound like this.

Thanks guys.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > cazzyodo 02/19/2014 at 09:50

2

Do you live in a salt state? My fresh discs and pads do this on my jetta when I first get going in the morning. They go away after a couple miles though. I think if you only do short trips, the thin layer of oxidation that builds up in the wet doesn't dissipate fast enough. How long is your drive to/from work?

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > cazzyodo 02/19/2014 at 09:51

1

Some pad size/material/load combos are just bad for developing squeals. My Benz, if used with long-life pads, is virtually guaranteed to squeal, and is in fact doing so right now. What can happen is the surface of the pad becoming "glazed", regardless of wear. I haven't heard about cold weather inducing glazing, but it wouldn't really surprise me.

That being said, there is a possibility it's something else.

EL_ULY > cazzyodo 02/19/2014 at 09:51

0

I could tell you about some probably causes and tips on how to reduces squeaking even on a new car but then I get reminded of that magical word.... Warranty! :] If it really bother you buddy, just call up your service adviser and tell them that it's happening. Perhaps there is a bulletin out for those cars or perhaps it is normal. Yes, it is possible for new (mostly performance type) cars to have some brake squeaking. Ask our AMG and Aston customers lol :]

cazzyodo > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 02/19/2014 at 09:53

0

Plenty of salt and sand (I've thought of this as well...couldn't rationalize it fully though). My commute is pathetically short but I have daily ventures that put another 20 miles of squeaking under my belt.

The thing that throws me is that conditions have been consistent all winter and it has only started now. I don't get it.

cazzyodo > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 02/19/2014 at 09:54

0

I feel like it has something to do with the salt and sand but as conditions haven't changed really all winter (and have actually gotten better, I think haha) it throws me for a loop that it started so recently.

cazzyodo > EL_ULY 02/19/2014 at 09:55

0

I told my buddy who works in service for a Nissan dealer and he just looked at me and yelled "warranty!!!!"

Probably nothing, but still. Thanks haha

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > cazzyodo 02/19/2014 at 09:55

0

I'm chiming in with RamblinRover. Some disc/pad combos are just noisy. Porsche GT3 being chief among them. At parking lot speeds, they just sound like something is really wrong. At race speeds, they are a thing of beauty. I would imagine since this is the ST, ford chose a pretty aggressive pad. That being said, if you think something is actually wrong, I would take it in. Prehaps a different dealer?

jariten1781 > cazzyodo 02/19/2014 at 09:55

0

My ST squeals. Took a look and there was plenty of material and the pads and no particular gouging/wear on the rotors. I suppose the the caliper pins could probably use some anti-squeal grease, but meh, I'm not too concerned about the noise. My old Mazda 6 squealed its whole life so I'm used to it.

cazzyodo > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius 02/19/2014 at 09:58

0

Brakes don't feel different so I'm sure they are fine...I don't actually believe that anything is really wrong. This is my first car in my name and all previous cars were far from performance oriented so it could just be noisy like you guys said.

cazzyodo > jariten1781 02/19/2014 at 09:58

0

Good, I'm not alone. I just have never had a car squeak at me that didn't need new brakes.

Stupidru > cazzyodo 02/19/2014 at 09:58

2

You may have a different brake compound that squeals at low temperatures but grips like hell when they're warmed up

Frank Grimes > cazzyodo 02/19/2014 at 09:59

0

So you have a brand new car under warranty and you are asking us to help you fix it?

Casper > cazzyodo 02/19/2014 at 10:02

1

What pads do you have? If they are performance pads they probably squeak because they are never getting up to temp with all the snow/slush on them. It's just the name of the game, the better the brakes performance wise, generally the worse the screech while cold.

cazzyodo > Frank Grimes 02/19/2014 at 10:08

0

I want to know if it's worth going in and wasting my time, really. If it's normal I will have to deal with it. If not, then I'll go.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > cazzyodo 02/19/2014 at 10:09

0

Yup, another ST owner here, when it gets cold the stock pad material really kicks up a squeal. This is not unusual for a high performance pad material (which the ST has a standard). The HawkPerformance pads I have on my Volvo 242 race car are squeally even in average temps until they really get some heat in them. Have you also noticed that the ST pads are very grabby in the wet? I have no complaints about the performance in general, and they really feel more like a semi-racing pad than what gets put on most cars as OEM.

EL_ULY > cazzyodo 02/19/2014 at 10:09

0

lol yes sir, you're lucky :]

cazzyodo > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t 02/19/2014 at 10:20

0

I haven't noticed to be honest...I just note that no matter what the weather I always feel confident with them. Solid all around.

Thanks for the response!

cazzyodo > Casper 02/19/2014 at 10:20

1

They're just stock for the ST which lends me to believe exactly what you said.

Thanks!

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > cazzyodo 02/19/2014 at 10:49

1

You just started wearing away the outermost layer of the disc that is meant to be resistant to corrosion and whatnot to keep the brakes looking shiny. Brakes were meant to be used so in your case, like I said you no sooner get a tiny amount of heat into them and begin wearing away that oxidation that you just build it up. Go for a solid half hour drive out on a winding road and use your brakes. Your ST's torque vectoring will kick in and use the fronts pretty often.

SPeaking of that torque vectoring - don't forget that! Your car was likely designed with that torque program in mind so the pads and discs were specced with that in mind. Fade resistant brakes tend to be noisy and prone to being a bit uncomfortable when not up to temperature.

cazzyodo > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 02/19/2014 at 10:56

0

I have just the drive in mind...unfortunately it always get's backed up as much as the highway as people use it to "avoid traffic." Some nighttime joy-riding is in order for sure.

I love the winter but can't wait to have my summer wheels back on.

efme > cazzyodo 02/19/2014 at 10:59

0

do we know its the pins that cause squeak? I thought it was the pads and the caliper contact points.

cazzyodo > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 02/19/2014 at 10:59

0

Through the woods with elevation changes and curves. With nobody in front of you, it's a blast (once you ease by the state trooper station).

Frank Grimes > cazzyodo 02/19/2014 at 11:42

0

I don't think squealing brakes is normal. If it was me I would bring it in and make them fix it. Here is some brake info from stoptech I am not sure if it helps but I was just trying to diagnose my own brakes and found it useful.

http://www.stoptech.com/technical-supp…

cazzyodo > Frank Grimes 02/19/2014 at 12:11

0

It sounds like the consensus is that my brakes don't warm up enough and it's common given the more performance oriented brakes they stuck on the ST. This comes from a couple ST owners as well. They don't have any difference in feel so far but I'm monitoring that closely.

Turns out I didn't have the time to bring it in today anyways.

Frank Grimes > cazzyodo 02/19/2014 at 12:29

0

Thats what I was thinking that the brakes were not broken in properly. I am not sure if you can have them turned a tiny amount and start over or its not gonna change unless you replace rotors and pads.

cazzyodo > Frank Grimes 02/19/2014 at 12:32

0

If I can make time this weekend I think I'll bring it in, so long as I have a ride from a buddy so I don't have to sit there the entire time. But I think everyone is on point with you on this.