Why Is My Brake Pedal Squeaking every time you press down on it? Not only is it irritating, but it can also be a sign of a potential issue with your brakes. Luckily, there are several tips and tricks you can try to stop your brake pedal from squeaking.
In this article, we’ll discuss some of the common causes of brake pedal squeaking and provide you with easy-to-follow solutions to put an end to the noise.
Whether you’re a seasoned driver or a beginner, keep reading to learn how to stop your brake pedal from squeaking and keep your car running smoothly.
Why Does My Brake Pedal Squeak?
There are many reasons for the appearance of brake pedal noise inside car. However, most of these reasons stem from three major impacts: weather, pollution, and structural problems.
To avoid misjudgment, you should carefully review the information I introduce in the section below before taking action.
Weather
Climate change or wet weather often causes a lot of water vapor to accumulate on the internal mechanisms of a car. If this liquid is deposited on the brake or related parts, corrosion will quickly occur.
When the rust has spread wide enough, the surface of the details will become much rougher. And this is also the leading cause of the noises you hear when you brake. Because the friction between uneven parts always creates annoying creaking sounds.
Pollution
Rust stains and dirt or sand are the leading causes of rougher brake discs or clamp surfaces. These agents accidentally fall into the system and attach themselves to critical components.
The system still works as usual when you step on the brake pedal. But the difference here is that dirt will contact the surface of the parts first. This friction process will produce dozens of horrible noises.
These sounds are similar to when you deliberately rub metal on hard brick.
Structure issue
Strange noises are easy to appear if the structure of any part of the brake system has problems. It could be a crack or break in the brake pad or a screw that accidentally fell out in an area. But no matter where it originates, the consequences of these errors will become more severe if you do not intervene.
In addition, a shortage of lubricating oil and other related fluids can also cause brake pedal squeaking.
What Causes The Brake Pedal Squeaks When Released?
After a long time observing brake pedal squeaking, I have discovered that some causes have a higher incidence than others. Therefore, you can first focus on considering these factors to shorten the operation time.
Lack of lubricant
Lubricant shortage is the problem that all users usually think of when they hear the brake pedal squealing. Because this type of slime will absorb and minimize the amount of friction when the parts touch each other.
A quality lubricating layer will always ensure that the parts connect tightly to the rest while minimizing impact damage. Vehicle manufacturers always recommend adding the correct lubricant regularly to maintain this capacity.
If the capacity drops below the required level, the oil’s lubricating ability will also be lost. At this time, the mechanical parts will collide at high speed and create loud, resonant sounds.
Fortunately, you can handle the above problem without spending too much effort or money. We only need to add lubricants such as grease or WD-40 to the inside to fix this situation.
The brake pads are not intact.
Despite the sturdy construction, brake pads are always one of the most damaged parts in the brake system.
This detail must always have friction when you step on the pedal to slow down the vehicle. In the case of heavy trucks or frequent sudden braking, the rate of worn or cracked brake pads increases many times.
Once they are no longer intact, the brake pads also lose their ability to grip the rotating rotor. It creates more friction than necessary and produces annoying creaking noises while driving brake pedal squeaks when pressed. And this is the cause of trouble for you during the journey.
Missing brake fluid
Thanks to brake fluid, you can adjust the clamping force and the operation of other parts in the brake assembly as you like.
So a lack of this type of fluid will cause important mechanisms to lose flexibility. Most typically, brake pads will lose their grip and stay loose. When this happens, you will need more effort to stop the car. In addition, every time we step on the pedal, we also have to hear dozens of creaking sounds.
However, it would help if you were careful before adding brake fluid. The symptoms of this problem are very similar to when the brake pads fail. If you don’t look closely, you can mistakenly add too much fluid, which causes brake fluid to leak out as coolant blows out of reservoir.
Brake cable error
A faulty brake cable can also cause unpleasant sounds like squeaks.
This unit needs to match the gaps in the reduction system to maintain optimal performance. Especially in vehicles that still use drum brakes, the connecting cable plays an even more critical role.
So when the cable fails, this part will no longer be able to move in the correct position. Other problems also appear constantly, eventually causing friction and making strange and equally horrible noises.
The brake pad clamp is broken.
The cheek clamp is a detail that helps to stabilize the brake pad when applying strong force to this part. Without these clamps, there is a very high chance that the cheeks will begin to loosen and even fall out of their default position.
The brake pads will then resume uncontrolled friction with other adjacent parts. It is the above process that is the cause of the brake pedal squeaking that we are trying to fix.
Stuck pedals
The pedal itself can also be the leading cause of these annoying sounds.
Jamming will occur if you work too hard or accidentally let foreign objects into this mechanism. In this case, the pedal will always be active, and press the brake pads to the rotor inside.
How To Resolve The Squeaky Brake Pedal?
Dealing with the problems that cause brake pedal squeaking has always been complex. So it would help if you spent a lot of time consulting my advice and information from the vehicle’s manual.
Replenish necessary substances
Usually, brake fluid and lubricant are the two fluids most frequently lacking in your vehicle. Therefore, we should prioritize checking and supplementing these substances to handle the unpleasant sounds produced when the brake pedal is applied.
I recommend using industrial grease or WD-40 instead of commercially available blends for lubricating fluids.
Although more difficult to manipulate, these two products’ lubrication and recovery performance is very high. Surely your vehicle will no longer be too noisy after using these two substances.
In the case of brake fluid, you must choose the right product that the manufacturer recommends. Because each system will have different requirements. Therefore, correct use is the only way to ensure a fluid performance.
Replace damaged parts
The two parts that you can afford to replace yourself are the brake pads and discs. These mechanisms are relatively easy to assemble and do not require a lot of tools.
If we can identify the noise problem stemming from these parts, we can quickly start replacing them.
Yet, if the sound comes from other areas, you should be careful. Arbitrarily interfering deeply with the system affects the stability and hinders us in the vehicle warranty process.
Find the experts
Not all locations are suitable for self-intervention and replacement at home, especially mechanisms connected to electronic systems. In this case, it is best to contact the repair shop to receive timely support.
Although it costs more and more time than doing it yourself at home, to ensure stability, you should still consider this option.
How much does it cost?
The cost of brake pedal squeaking will depend on the leading cause. If the problem comes from parts on the brake, such as pads or discs, it will cost you about $ 40 to $ 150 to replace. This number will be higher if we choose to do it in stores.
Meanwhile, system-related failures or replacing many parts will cost you $ 200 or more. Conversely, adding brake fluid or cleaning brake dust causing squeaky brakes only ask us to spend from 5$ to 20$ only.
FAQs
Does it matter if my brakes squeak?
Sound from any part, including the brakes, is always a sign that the vehicle is in trouble. You will need to get checked if you do not want to face dangerous risks.
How long can brakes squeak?
If you hear a clear sound from the magnetic brake, you only have a short time to handle it. After less than a week, this part will be completely damaged.
Do brakes squeak more when hot?
It is usual for the brakes to make a noise when a specific temperature is reached. However, you must be careful if the sound’s intensity and frequency constantly increase.
Can brakes squeak and still be good?
If the creaking sound is still tiny and not easy to hear, you can continue to operate the vehicle. But always monitor and be prepared to take the car to the repair station at any time.
Why do brakes squeak when going slow?
To reduce speed, the brake pads need to tighten against the rotor to create stopping friction, and it is the collision process between the two surfaces that causes the noise.
Conclusion
Brake pedal squeaking is always an annoying problem and significantly affects vehicle performance. Therefore, I hope you can quickly deal with the root of this phenomenon after referring to the article right here.