malexgcab

MY08 with 28,xxx miles. This afternoon on my way home I noticed sound coming from right rear area similar to brake squeal but it is only heard during low speeds. Sound/squeal goes away once brake is applied.

No brake sensor warning on dashboard. Are brake sensors on all 4 rotors? Is it possible to have worn brake pads without brake sensor warning on dashboard?

mdrums

Brakes are glazed a little probably...this happens on high performance brakes. All you need to do is do a couple threshold braking maneuvers from 70+ to 30...activate the ABS...brake hard and this will clean up the pad transfer on the rotor.

Yes there are sensors on all for calipers. You can visually see the brake pads to see how much pad material you have left.

malexgcab

Thanks, Mike. I read your previous posts regarding brake pad change.

I inspected the pads and the outside pad still has lots of meat, that is why I wasn't sure if it is worn pads or brake clips scrapping the rotors?

Do you have any pictures/DIY of brake change? I wasn't following your old post about "removing pin"

By taping the sensor wires together, does the sensor become nonfunctional (with no brake warning light on dashboard)?

Thanks

CORSASCHNELL

There are also products that claim to fix brake squeal at automotive retail stores but I have not used any myself. Try advice from "mdrums" first, should take care of it.

Rocco07

Taping or tying back sensors from pads is something track guys do (facilitates pad changes) or people who don't want to ruin the sensors when the brakes get to the point of illuminating the wear indicator.
If the wear light comes on, one of your sensors is destroyed. This is how the system is designed. Keeping an eye on the pads for wear can prevent this from happening as you would change the pads when low before destroying the sensor. Saves money.
Some aftermarket pads do not come with the notch to hold the sensor. This is also a reason they're tied back. Pads are ridiculously easy to change. The caliper does not need to come off. There's a retaining pin that secures the pads. If removed, the pads can slide out the back of the caliper.

Macster

If you have been using the brakes really lightly (most drivers do) and it has been wet where you are the light use can glaze the brake friction surfaces. With water added to the mix the rust gets rubbed off and can clog the holes in the rotors if of course the car has drilled holes in the rotors.

But what else can happen is the brake piston dust covers/boots get dirty and this can interfere with the natural tendency of the pistons to retract slightly into the calipers. When they do not retract the pads remain against the rotors and this accounts for the squeal.

Since brakes are a safety critical system you might want to have them inspected to ensure nothing is amiss.

If you then feel comfortable about the brakes wash them.

This removes the dust and cleans out the rust/dust build up in the rotor holes. In some cases severe cases of build up you may have to take something and clean the build up out of the holes. (I had to do this with my Turbo when I bought it (used) the light use of the car and brakes had the holes nearly completed filled with build up.)

At a car wash use the wand soap setting to wash the brake hardware. Do not jam the wand nozzle right up against where the pistons are but you can get it right up against the rotors to help remove the build up. You may have to move the car forward or backward to expose the rotor areas hidden by the calipers.

Then use the rinse setting and then the spotless setting for a final rinse. This has a much lower pressure so you can get the nozzle tip closer.

Afterwards be sure to take the car for a drive and use the brakes enough to get them hot and completely dry.

Be aware after washing the brakes they may not work right away as you are used to because they are wet. So be sure to use the brakes enough early on to get them to their previous braking level. Then use them harder to get them hot and dry them.

In the future avoid putting the car away after a wash without a drive first which will dry the brakes.

Oh, after the wash you can then take the car out and do a mini brake bedding in. No need to go all crazy. Just where it is safe run the car up to say 65mph and apply the brakes hard slowing the car to around 20mph. Avoid braking hard enough to trigger the ABS but be aggressive with the brakes.

Repeat this once maybe 2 more times. Do not bring the car to a complete stop at any of these hard brake steps. Aftewards drive the car enough to ensure the brakes have cooled down from the bedding in process.

mdrums

The sensors will not break ground unless the pads wear down enough. No need to cut the wires on the sensor and solder/tape the 2 leeds together unless you track the car a lot and are swapping pads out all the time like I do.

Removing the pin...hummm...either I was talking about pulling the cotter pin in order to remove the pin that goes across the caliper to hold the pads in place.

malexgcab

Thanks for all the replies. I inspected the brake mechanism today and I found a dry leaf and a pebble stuck between the caliper and rotor.

I also inspected the pads and it gave me a visual perspective regarding the advices given.

Sound gone and brake pad replacement in the future.