Defering to your knowledge of Brakes... Squeaking...

CaptainPioneer · Post by **CaptainPioneer** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:24 am

Ok i know the difference of when brake pads actually are worn down to far and the squealer hits the rotor. This is not that issue... Here are the two, yes, two problems...

I start to drive and i hear a squeak every time the wheel turns so obviously as the wheel goes around i hear a squeak, then it repeats and gets faster as I drive. That appears to only be coming from the right side ( I think front rotor)

The second is that when I apply the brakes lightly and I mean very lightly so that it just touches it will squeal until i apply greater pressure...

Can anyone help me with this... Brakes on cars are not my strongest area of knowledge.
Thanks guys.

Jason

Bwcad1 · Post by **Bwcad1** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 1:58 pm

Warped Rotor.

NorthQuad · Post by **NorthQuad** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 2:32 pm

Does the steering wheel shake rapidly when you apply the brakes?

Thu Jul 01, 2010 4:43 am

If they make the chirping sound when the brakes aren't being pressed, that means the wear indicator on the pad is hitting the rotor. It's there to let you know that your brake pads are getting low.

The noise when you press the brakes, could be brake dust. Not sure.

But it sounds to me like your brakes are getting low.

CaptainPioneer · Post by **CaptainPioneer** » Thu Jul 01, 2010 7:55 am

I hope its not a warped rotor...

No shake in the wheel whatsoever... Its as great as the day I bought it...

Its only got 14k miles on the brakes... Damn those things must SUCK from the factory...

Thanks I'm going to take the wheels off tomorrow and check the pads... If I need some new ones... That wont be too bad.

JeremyC · Post by **JeremyC** » Thu Jul 01, 2010 8:29 pm

Got to agree with bill, sounds like a warped rotor. That would also cause your pads to wear out very quickly.

The brakes float, so you won't feel it under braking unless it gets real bad.

Try spinning it with the wheel off. If it chirps some, hit, miss, hit again, then your rotors are warped and need replaced. If they aren't bad enough for you to tell that way, your only option is to pull them and have them turned. They would be able to tell you real quick.

CaptainPioneer · Post by **CaptainPioneer** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 8:03 am

OK so thanks for the help guys... I took off the wheel's on the right side... Lots of brake dust built up into the rears for sure... I cleaned them off and looked...

The pads are not "floating" above the rotors... they are sitting ON the rotors... they don't seem to be set correctly... I am calling my dealership today to talk with them about it... If it turns out to be a warped rotor I am going to be extremely unhappy. The car is 1 year old and only has 15k miles on it. I don't drive aggressively however I do sit in traffic quite a bit... Still...

If it turns out to be a warped rotor, I have no confidence in the build quality of the "replacement" rotor that they go ahead and put on for me then... I will seek out an aftermarket solution for them...

Its too bad because I took the wheels off, then cleaned them out and washed my car everything and as soon as I got to my GF's house I go hey isnt it great no more squealing... And sure enough like a curse it started up again...

Ugh... Thanks again guys.

CaptainPioneer · Post by **CaptainPioneer** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 8:32 am

UPDATE:

Spoke to a mechanic at the dealership and he said I would be the first case of a warped rotor on an 09 TDI if that was the case... he said they will look it over (covered in the warranty) and said its most likely the composition of the brake pads...

Basically VW changed the type of composition that they were using in their brake pads a few years ago and he said that a lot of people have been complaining about them... So he said more than likely that is the issue. So I'm crossing my fingers that its not a rotor issue...

Will update later.

Jason

NorthQuad · Post by **NorthQuad** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 12:16 pm

If there isn't any shaking when you apply the brakes, it probably isn't a warped rotor. Mabey just some dirty brakes from cheap pads.

Bwcad1 · Post by **Bwcad1** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 1:02 pm

NorthQuad wrote:If there isn't any shaking when you apply the brakes, it probably isn't a warped rotor. Mabey just some dirty brakes from cheap pads.

Id have to disagree, in my shop we do audio and mechanical but when a rotor is warped you can get a pulsation not really a shaking and that is typically only felt at lower speeds when braking slowly and thats not always noticeable as a shake or a steering vibration.

Capn, The pads always sit on the rotor they don't "float" the Rotor floats on the studs between the wheel and wheel bearing (on most cars some have flat head screws holding them on.)