Why does the car make a squeaking sound when braking?
2 Answers
The squeaking sound when braking is the wear noise between the brake pads and the brake disc. It usually disappears after some driving and is considered normal. There are several reasons for brake noise: 1. New car break-in: The break-in of brake pads is an important process. It usually takes a few hundred kilometers of driving before the brakes feel smooth. Newly replaced brake pads need to break in to better integrate with the old disc. Initially, the brakes may feel very hard, and it typically takes a few hundred kilometers before they become smooth. 2. During driving: Small sand particles may get between the pads and the disc, causing friction and noise. This does not require repair; simply driving for a while will allow the small particles to fall out. For noise caused by incomplete break-in, some owners aggressively apply the brakes to speed up the break-in process. While this can quickly wear in the brakes, it also accelerates brake pad wear, effectively reducing their lifespan. It is recommended to drive for a while longer and observe the situation rather than forcing excessive wear on the brake pads.
I also encountered squeaky brakes last time, the sound was like a mouse squeaking. Upon disassembly, I found the brake pads were almost worn down to the metal layer at the edges. The mechanic said that frequent stop-and-go traffic in the city, where you often half-press the brakes, can wear out the pads prematurely. Now, during every maintenance check, I make sure the mechanic measures the thickness and replaces them immediately if it's below 3mm. Once, there was a screeching sound during rainy weather, which turned out to be due to rust film on the brake discs not being worn off. I suggest checking the wear condition of the brake pads and also inspecting the disc surface for grooves. Don’t wait until the braking performance declines to take action—safety first.
