Niel

Hello Everyone,

I bought a 2002 Boxster a couple of weeks ago. After putting about 250 miles on it, the brakes are now making a metallic screecing noise. Sounds sort of like a brake wear indicator.

When I called the dealership service dept, they told me that it was normal because the Porsche brake pads have a higher metal content.

It doesn't sound normal to me.

Does anyone know if this is normal or not?

Thanks,
Niel.

bet

I don't know about a "screeching" noise but there can (and usually is) what I call brake squeal from Porsche's and other high performance brakes (you should hear some brake more track specific pads during street use, wow). This can be especially bothersome with brand new brake pads and at “around town speeds”.

My previous boxster had the squealing problem and my current 993 also has the squeaking or squeal characteristic. My investigation when I owned the boxster revealed it was “normal” and comes with the territory of high performance brakes. However, check and make sure some sort of road debris has not become imbedded in your pads and that anti-squeal shims on in place.

Niel

Thanks,

I am going to have the dealer check it out, just in case.

pho

my 97 Boxster makes little noise when i press on the brake. Only 22000 miles on it.

alex_95_cab

You might also find the following three things helpful.

1) Porsches, as well as some other German cars, seem to be prone to collecting brake dust on the rotors. When washing my car I always make sure to thorougly wash the brakes and rotors. If you do this make sure to take your car out afterwards and get the brakes good and hot (I found a couple of semi-hard stops from about 30-40 mph is sufficient) else you will get rust build-up.

2) I also read an article at my mechanics shop that indicated if the brakes are not used enough or your Porsche is driven too lightly (Porsche brakes are meant to be used hard) over time the rotors can become glazed. To unglaze them you need to get up to high-way speeds and slowly decelerate from 60mph down to 50 mph over roughly a 10 second period while holding down both the accelerator and brake. If there still squealing afterwards then your rotors weren't glazed. If the squealing is gone your rotors were glazed.

3) Over-time depending on how you drive your rotors can eventually get a slight ridge at the outer edge. Lightly filing the edge of the rotors and wiping clean the dust can sometimes alleviate the squealing from this problem. I haven't had the nerve to try this solution yet.

Initially I found that 1) helped me a lot but my squeaking has returned and I've found that I have problem 3). According to my mechanic its not a serious problem; I can continue to drive on the rotors till I need a brake-pad/rotor replacement.

I have taken to braking more aggresively rather than being so timid on the brakes and have found that I don't get as much brake sqeal anymore.

Hope this helps

Niel

Thanks for your help.

The sounds seems to be going away. I don't hear it as often. Maybe I am just getting used to it.

Sudeep

Hi
I recently purchased a used 2003 boxster and after 2 days noticed that the brakes screeches (not loudly) when I am braking from a speed of 30-40 miles/hr.

I checked with the local Porsche dealer (Stevens Creek Porsche) and was told that it was due to brakes caliper dusts. He washed the brack pads and the sound stopped.

Howvere, the next day, the brake screeching/squeaking returned. The dealer told me that it is normal - porsche brake calipers get dust between the brake pads while normal driving and will makke sound. The only solution seems to be to wash them everyday. He also mentioned the glazing bit to me as described by alex

I am new to the world of porsche so my question is - is what the dealer telling me true? If so, what can I do to prevent the annoying sound short of washing them brakes everyday? Or is the dealer fibbing me to avoid correcting some genuine problem (the car is under warrenty).

Any suggestion will be most welcome

GaryN

Hi Sudeep,

I have seen your other post (same as the one above) so I will reply here:

My previous 911 (964 model) has squeeky brakes that was very annoying. The only way I could solve the problem was to have the front discs skimmed on the car. All OPC (Official Porsche Centres) have the machine to do this, some independant Porsche garages have this machine aswell.
Maybe you would need to check your brake pads and make sure they are OEM Porsche parts as some aftermarket brake pads are of a hard compound and that may cause squeeling.

I must say my Boxster S (drilled rotors) fortunetly does not make any squeeling noise at any speeds.

JHowell37

Nobody has gone to the local parts store to pick up a can of Disc Brake Quiet? Or is it recommended to no do that?