Typically, cars tend to experience braking noises due to faulty brake pads. However, this can also be caused by myriad other reasons, especially when you experience front-end brake creaking noise.
This requires extensive troubleshooting and potentially replacing various components of the braking system. Sometimes, all you need to do is clean your braking pads. Such as when your car only makes a slight creaking noise when braking.
Causes of creaking noise when braking
Here’s why your brakes make a creaking noise when braking hard;
Worn or thinning brake pads
The most obvious cause of brake squealing is worn brake pads. This is because brake pads are intentionally designed with a metal indicator that emits a high-pitched warning when they approach their minimum thickness. That irritating screech is how you know it’s time to replace your brake pads.
A thin layer of rust over your brake pads can make a similar squeaking noise, but that will usually go away after a few brake applications. However, if the noise stays with you, be sure to get your brakes checked out right away.
Note: If you let the problem go and the persistent squeaking turns into grinding, you’ll likely need new rotors along with your brake pads. This can more than double the cost of your next brake service.
Dust or debris between your pads and rotors
Another common cause of brake squealing is mud, dust, or other debris on the surface of your pads or rotors. This can happen in various driving conditions or if your car sits for a long period collecting dust.
In this case, a quick spray with cleaner or sanding down of the surface material will usually take care of the problem. It might also go away on its own after a few brake applications allowing the friction between the pads and rotors to wipe away the debris.
Excessive moisture
If you have squeaky brakes first thing in the morning, the noise may be completely normal – especially if your car has been exposed to rain, snow, or humidity overnight. However, when moisture sets in on your brakes, a thin layer of rust can easily build up on the rotors.
This can cause a grinding or squealing sound when you apply your brakes. Fortunately, the rust buildup can usually be remedied with normal driving. You can also try parking your car indoors to protect your brakes from accumulating moisture.
Your braking style
Repeated hard and fast braking, especially at high speeds, can generate excessive heat, causing a smooth, hard glaze on your brake pads’ surface. Glazing can also happen as a result of riding the brakes downhill.
The constant friction causes a spike in temperature that exceeds the limits that conventional brake pads can handle. When brake pads become glazed, they can no longer generate the friction needed to stop the vehicle. They might also crack or fracture. As a result, you’ll need to have them replaced.
Faulty brake calipers
It’s worth noting that a mechanical or hydraulic failure in the brake caliper, causing the brake pads to rub against the rotor even when you’re not applying the brake pedal, can also be to blame for glazing. This is perhaps the most dangerous kind since it happens without the driver’s knowledge.
To check for signs of glazing, run your finger along the surface of your brake pad to feel for a smooth and glassy finish. When replacing glazed brake pads, you’ll also need to clean or resurface your rotors and check the calipers and hydraulic system for mechanical issues or failure.
If glazing becomes a repeated problem, you might also need to rethink your braking style.
Metallic brake pads
In some instances, squeaky brakes might be caused by the brake pad material. When it comes to brake pads, there are three types available: organic, semi-metallic, or ceramic.
Semi-metallic brake pads are perhaps the most common model on the market and consist of between 30% and 65% metallic elements like iron, steel, graphite, and copper.
When this type of pad rubs up against the rotor, it may cause the occasional squealing or grinding. The sound will usually stop once the brake pad wears down past that spot or layer, but if the noise bothers you, you might consider opting for pads with less metal.
While organic pads are the cheapest alternative, they offer inferior quality and durability and cause a great deal of dust. The other option, arguably the best of the three in terms of quality and performance, is ceramic brake pads.
While costlier than their organic or ceramic counterparts, they also are the quietest and longest-lasting of the three.
Lack of lubrication on drum brakes
If your car has drum brakes, the squealing may be caused by a lack of lubrication at the contact points between the shoes and the drum. Without lubrication, the shoes start to scrape against the backing plate, causing a squeal.
You can usually tell where the issue is by looking for signs of this kind of scraping where the bare metal is exposed. Repairing or preventing squeaky drum brakes is as easy as applying brake grease to the backing plate where the piston meets the shoes.
The car makes grinding noise when braking
Below are some reasons for the groaning noise when braking;
Worn-out brake pads
Worn-out brake pads are one of the reasons for making a grinding noise when braking. If your brake pads are used for quite a long time, the backing plates will gradually lose their material. This causes metal to touch other metal, resulting in squeaking noises.
The rotor can also rub the caliper and scrape its metal surface. Thus, if you do not replace the pads immediately, your brakes will be severely broken. Moreover, the backing plate and the caliper will destroy each other, causing grooves and damage.
Low-quality brake pads
Many think buying low-quality pads is a good way to save some bucks. But it’s a wrong decision. The poor-quality brake pads often contain metal chunks, which will rub and scrape on the surface of the rotor, causing heavy damage. So if you plan to replace the pads, choose good products from a renowned brand.
Solid objects between rotor and caliper
It’s normal for the components to catch dirt, dust, and grime. However, sometimes small rocks or other solid objects from the road can be between the caliper and rotor and create brake grinding noise when you push the brake. The friction created by such an object can damage these parts.
Broken shims
Another reason responsible for the grinding noise when braking is broken shims. A worn-out shim will contact a piece of the braking system, such as the rotor. When metal comes together with other metals like this, it will create a grinding sound from your braking system.
So anytime you get a brake job done, you must replace the shims. Sometimes, your mechanic may avoid this as they want to do their job rapidly, so make sure they replace them for you.
Not driving the car often
It’s another reason your car is making a grinding noise when braking. Brake pads have an average lifespan of 20,000 miles. Nonetheless, they may not last that much longer for some reason. One probable cause is leaving the automobile in your garage for weeks.
Idleness and bad weather can cause rust and corrosion on the rotors. In that case, the rust will spread to other parts, too and destroy them. You should drive the car regularly, at least for a while, to avoid this problem.
Worn-out Rotor Discs
Worn-out rotor discs are possible culprits creating annoying noises from the braking system. Rotor discs that aren’t flat will cause squeaking sounds. Rotor discs that are too worn out will create scraping sounds instead.
Moreover, worn-out rotors will cause a lot of vibrations from the braking system. These vibrations come in irregular forms, and you can easily feel them through the brake pedal. Therefore, this case is less popular than the first one.
Faulty Wheel Bearing
If you hear the grinding noises from your wheels or observe vibrations that alternate from quiet to loud, you may have a worn-out or damaged wheel bearing. So check the wheel bearings carefully and replace them if needed to eliminate annoying sounds.
Unlubricated Caliper Bolts
Caliper bolts will make grinding brake caliper noise when braking if they lack lubrication. This case rarely occurs, but it could. A mechanic will automatically replace new caliper bolts for you during his repair work.
Why does my car make noise when braking at low speed?
Below are some causes of creaking noise when braking at low speed;
Worn-out braking pads
One of many reasons for having strange sounds while braking has worn-out braking pads. The brake pads are usually manufactured using graphite, iron, and copper. These things are bonded together to form the brake pad. As a result, when you use the brakes, the brake pad keeps wearing out until the outer metal cover touches the rotors.
You will start hearing creaking noise when braking at a low speed. So, if your braking pads have been worn or worn out for a long time, go and change them immediately. Or else, you can harm other braking elements or damage them.
Cheap/low-quality breaking pads
brake pads are made from a mixture of elements to make the pad bond. To produce the best braking pad, the manufacturers put these elements in a certain ratio to ensure the best braking effect and to stop any noise.
Cheap aftermarket braking pads are never made with this accuracy in selecting substances of the pad. They always try to decrease the price, which means quality decreases. Not only do they produce noisy sounds, but also they rub and scrape the surface of the rotors. So, if you’re planning to replace your braking pads, you’ve to choose the original ones only.
Worn-out rotor disks
Wearing rotor disks may happen from using worn-out braking pads or using a cheap/low-quality braking pad that scratches the surface of the rotors. So, after a while, the surface of your rotors will never stay flat as it is.
Another reason for the deflection of the surface of the rotors is washing your car and exposing the rotors to cold water while it is still hot. This will lead to surface deflection, and you’ll hear sounds while braking and feel irregular vibrations when you press the brake pedal.
Debris between the rotor and brake pad
If you’re using your car in a dusty environment, it is normal for braking parts to catch dust, dirt, and grime. Besides, very tiny rocks and sand can get between the braking pad and the rotor. These items will cause grinding noise even if you’re not using the brakes.
Parking the car for too long
Leaving your car in the garage for too long in bad weather, like air full of water vapor, can form a rust layer on the rotors. Unfortunately, this may also start corrosion on the rotors, and this can spread to other braking system elements.
Unlubricated caliper screws
This is another cause of hearing a scraping noise when braking due to a lack of lubrication on the caliper screws and bolts. Again, if this happens to you, you must ask your mechanic to change them.
Broken shims
Brake pad shims are thin rubber or metal adhesive that fits between the brake caliper and the brake pad to fill the small gaps that may lead to bad noise. A worn-out shim will make a metal-to-metal contact creating a grinding sound. In addition, you will probably hear a knocking noise when braking at low speeds. Ensure you replace them when doing any brake servicing job.
Troubleshooting steps to fix the braking noise
Perform the checks below to know where the defective part is and fix it;
Find Loose parts
The first step is to disassemble the front wheels of the car. Then you will perform a simple check by trying to wiggle the braking calipers, pads and rotor, and other brake components. All these parts should not be moved or wiggled just by hand.
If you can vibrate it with your hands, there are a few missing, damaged, or loose clips and bolts. You need to fix those immediately. This may lead to vibrating and noisy braking.
Apply Dampening Paste
Excessive vibration from braking parts always led to lousy noises when braking. So, after taking care of missing bolts and damaged shims or clips, you may have to apply dampening paste, a water-based compound that is highly effective in reducing vibrations and noises from braking parts.
Apply a thin layer of this substance on the back of the braking pad on the metal part between the braking pad and the caliper piston. Give the paste plenty of time to dry (2 or 3 hours or until it is completely dry) before reassembling the brake unit. It will become sticky and darker when it is dry.
Inspect Brake pads or Brake Shoe
Check the brake pads for wearing out or replacement. This is the main problem many drivers face when using their cars. Many braking pads have a wearing indicator that’s designed to make noise when it’s worn out. In addition, aftermarket brake pads vary in size.
This will cause a brake pad to wear unevenly. Also, this causes the brake pad to ride the edge of the rotor causing rational braking noise, so you may hear grinding noise when braking, but the pads are fine.
In this case, you can sand the lip down and make it even. This will increase brake pad life and eliminate the noise. If you find out that you need to replace the brake pad, try to find the good one. New brake pads can make a grinding noise, too, until the brake pads are in the shape of the rotor’s surface.
Check brake rotor
The last check you can perform is checking the braking rotors. While using your vehicle and changing braking pads, the brake rotors may be affected by all this. For example, an irregular brake rotor causes the brake pad to jump and wiggle.
You have to have a very smooth rotor surface. So, if the rotor wear is not too deep, you may have to get your rotors machined to make the rotor’s surface smooth. Always check the rotor’s thickness before machining because this may affect the safety of braking. But if the wear is excessive, or the entire rotor is distorted or hasn’t a certain thickness, you have to replace the rotors as soon as possible.
Extra check
It is always recommended to check the brake oil and the brake lines after any maintenance in the braking system. But, first, you have to check the level of it. If it is below the marked level, then you need to fill it up with the proper oil recommended by the manufacturer Dot 3, dot4, and dot 5.
Note: Also, check the brake fluid color. It must be clear and bright. If it’s brown, then you have to change it. You may check for leakage in the brake line; if you find any, change it as soon as possible.
How to fix the creaking noise
Here are the steps to follow to eliminate the creaking noise when turning and braking;
Remove the front wheels
First, you need to loosen the bolts holding the wheel in place. Then you can gently lift the wheel. Next, remove all the nuts and bolts from the hub.
Remove the caliper
The caliper is held on the rotor by several retaining bolts. To release these, remove the caliper retaining bolts using a socket wrench and slide the caliper away from the rotor.
Using the brake hose as a cord to hang the caliper is a disaster. However, if you plan on hanging the caliper, you can use a cord or anything sturdy enough to support the weight of the caliper.
Take the brake pads out
You can remove the brake pads by dislodging them with a flathead screwdriver. The pads will come off easily.
Separate the caliper
The caliper should slide back and forth smoothly. If it’s stuck, then you have found the problem. The caliper has two parts: the mounting frame and the area where the piston and the pads are contained. You need to separate these two parts from having the caliper guide pins exposed for relubrication.
You can pry them off using a flathead screwdriver, but gently. Once the caliper is separated into two, it will be easy to lubricate the pins. But before you lubricate the pins, make sure you clean them first.
Clean the caliper
Remove any grime that may have accumulated on the pins and holes. Next, wipe off the old grease on the pins using a small piece of cloth or rag. Once the pin surface is clean and dry, spray a brake cleaner on the surface of each pin and on the holes too.
Apply brake lubricant
Take a small amount of brake lubricant and apply it to the pins. Brake lubricants help in reducing friction and wear between two surfaces in relative motion. In this case, the caliper pins when in contact with the rotor whenever the brake is applied.
Once done, you can reinstall and fit everything back together in reverse order.
How to fix grinding brakes
Several reasons cause grinding brakes; the most common is a worn out or faulty brake pad. Below are the steps for installing a new brake pad;
Items needed
- Mechanic gloves
- Jack and jack stand
- C-clamp or a retract wood.
- A new brake pads
- Brake fluids
- Lug wrench
- Adjustable wrench
- Turkey baster
- Plastic tie
Brake Pad replacement steps
- Loosen the nuts on the wheel to remove the wheel.
- Then jack up the car and place the jack under the frame of the car.
- Lower the jack so that its weight rests on the jack support.
- Completely remove the lug nuts and remove the wheel. Now you can use the brake assembly and safely reach under the car.
- Remove the slider bolt. Locate the pins, also known as slider bolts, that clutch the caliper in position.
- Pivot the caliper up. Remove the caliper bottom bolt, and swing the caliper upward. At this time, it is very easy to check the brake pad’s thickness to confirm whether it needs to be replaced.
Note: Wear indicators are often present in most brake pads. These small metals function by giving off a squeaking sound when it contacts the rotor. Even if they have not touched it yet, if the thickness of the friction material is 1/8 inch or less, the pad needs replacement.
- Slide out the old brake pads. At this point, you can see the brake pads and the retaining clip holding it loosely. Remove the old pad by sliding it upward and gently.
- Replace the retaining clips. Most new pads come with clips, allowing the pads to slide back and forth easily.
- Use the new one and discard the old one. The clip does not have a retaining screw. They just snap into place. There are usually left-handed and right-handed clips, so please change them one at a time to make sure they match exactly when you use them.
- Slide in the new brake pads. The new pad will slip into place as easily as the old one when removed. Although sometimes the new clip will be tighter.
- Retract the pistons. The Pistons’ job is to press on the brake pads and squeeze the rotor to stop the car. Your car may only have one or two pistons per wheel, but the principle is the same.
Note: Before lowering the calipers into place, these pistons need to be retracted (pushed back) to remove the new thicker brake pads. This section requires steady pressure and patience.
- Monitor the brake fluid level. When the piston is pushed back, the brake fluid level rises slowly. Open the main tank reservoir and check frequently. This is a bigger problem when working on the second brake because the total fluid volume of the two calipers may cause the brake fluid to overflow.
Note: There have been cases of overflowing due to topped-up fluid during servicing. The fluid level will naturally drop as the brake pads wear. And it will increase after the pad replacement, provided the level doesn’t drop below the MIN mark.
- Reposition the caliper. If the piston has been retracted, it becomes very easy to slide in the caliper. However, sometimes it doesn’t fit correctly, and the caliper will slip over the new pad.
Note: if the piston gets trapped on the pad, you should check if the piston was completely retracted.
- Reinstall the slider bolt. Fix back and torque down the sliding bolts. Straighten the wheels of the car, and mount the tires.
- Lastly, ensure you torque the log nut to the manufacturer’s spec.
- Carry out these steps on all sides of the wheel. Next, repeat the above steps for the other side of the front brake.
Note: Remember that since you have installed a new brake on one wheel, the amount of brake fluid in the tank will be higher.
- Test and run the car. Test run the car within short distances to ensure the noise is cleared off.
Note: the engagement point of the brake pedal may be higher. You will adapt to this within a short time.
Grinding noise when braking: but the pads are fine
If you notice new brakes making grinding noise at low speed, do not panic. New brakes make grinding noise until the brake pads perfectly fit the rotor surface. Here are reasons why your new brakes groan when stopping;
- Loose or rusted caliper bolts
- Rusted pads or rotors
- Brakes and rotors mated improperly
- Faulty wheel bearings
- Debris stuck in brakes
- Faulty self-adjusting mechanism
- Inferior brake pads
- Faulty shims