Squeaky noises in your car can be annoying and downright scary if they’re coming from your brakes. We’ve all heard stories of people who had brake issues that they ignored and got into serious accidents. So, are squeaky noises in your brakes anything to worry about?
How long do brakes last after squeaking? Several things cause breaks to squeak. If your brakes are squeaking because the brake pads are low, you should replace the pads right away. If the squeaking is not caused by a serious problem, the brakes should normally work for a long time. Nonetheless, it’s advisable to have squeaky brakes checked as soon as you notice the noises to rule out any serious problems.
Squeaky brakes and rotors are quite common, especially if you’ve had these parts replaced recently. However, you should never ignore a brake issue no matter how insignificant it may seem on the surface. A squeaky sound today may mean total break failure tomorrow. So let’s take a look at some of the causes of squeaky brakes and their fixes.
How Long Do Brakes Last After Squeaking?
Getting repairs done on a vehicle isn’t cheap, especially if the mechanic has to repair an entire system with new parts. For this reason, most drivers opt to wait it out until they can no longer drive their vehicle. This is why some people ask, “How long do brakes last after squeaking?”
If you share the same sentiments, you should look at it this way; when you keep driving a compromised vehicle, the problem will only get worse. And if the issue is your brakes, it could mean the inability to stop the vehicle at some point, which, as you know, can cause serious accidents.
But that doesn’t answer your question. So how long do brakes last after squeaking? According to Popular Mechanics, you shouldn’t expect your brakes to be completely silent. These mechanical devices can produce noises depending on several factors.
Therefore, if the brake noises are normal, you should be able to stop the car without any challenges. However, there are cases where you should be alarmed. Let’s take a look at some o of the common causes of brake squeaks.
Common Causes of Brake Squeaking
To understand the causes of squeaky brakes, you need to be familiar with the types of brakes found in a car. There are two types of brakes: disc brakes and drum brakes.
Disc brakes are the type of brakes where a pad presses on a disc or rotor to stop the vehicle. The majority of modern vehicles have this type of brakes. Drum brakes, on the other hand, are mostly located on the back wheels of vehicles. For this type of brakes, a curved “shoe” presses against a hollow drum to stop the vehicle.
The squeaking noises you hear in your brakes will either come from the disc brakes or drum brakes due to the following reasons.
1. Car Sitting Overnight
This is a common problem with disc brakes. According to AxleAddict, the problem is mostly caused by accumulated moisture from the rain, dew, or dust collecting on the surface of the rotors.
When moisture accumulates on the surface of the rotors, it forms a thin layer of rust on the surface of the rotor. As a result, when the rotors are turning, the pads begin to scrape off the rust from the rotor, which causes the rust to get caught in the leading edge of the brake pads. This is what causes the squeaking noises in the brakes.
Fix
To prevent your rotors from rusting, park your vehicle in a garage or climate-controlled environment to prevent foreign objects like dust and water from getting access to the rotor.
2. High Metal Content in Brake Pads
Car Bibles says that a squeaking noise in the brakes may also be caused by too much metal in the brake pads. According to this site, this is a common problem when you pay little for your brake pads. Some unscrupulous companies add too much metal to reduce costs. When the extra metal pieces drag onto the rotor, they cause a squeaking sound.
The worst part is that you may have to live with the noise for a while if you don’t have the cash to get new brake pads because brake pads last for up to 40,000 miles.
Fix
If you’re planning to have your brake pads replaced, it’s best to be ready to spend more for quality brakes that won’t cause you any problems. Car Bibles suggests going for brake pads that have a high content of organic brake material such as resin, fiber, and rubber.
It’s also advisable to have your brake repairs done by a mechanic you can trust. Some may charge you a hefty price and still end up putting low-quality brake pads in your vehicle.
3. Thinning Brake Pads
If you’ve not had your brake pads changed or serviced for a long time, a squeaking noise may be an indication of worn our brake pads. This problem is also common in disc brakes.
Car manufacturers attach wear indicators on the brake system to notify the driver when their brake pads are extremely worn out. They add tiny metal tabs using hardened steel and connect them in different ways. It can be push-on clips, welded metal, or they can use rivet to attach the metal on the edge of the rotor.
The metal tabs are designed to hit the rotor before the pads wear off completely. Therefore, if you’re keen on listening to the squeaking noises in your brakes, you can tell when you should have the vehicle serviced and prevent a sudden car breakdown or stalling.
Fix
The only fix for thinning brake pads is to get replacements done.
4. Drum Brakes in Need of Lubrication
If the squeaking noise you’re hearing is coming from the rear brakes when you step on the brake pedal, the issue may be your drum brakes. When the pads don’t have enough lubrication, the contact points of the brakes may start rusting.
When this happens, the pads will start scraping against the braking plate, thereby causing the squeaking noises.
Fix
To prevent this from happening, you need to ensure your contact brakes are always lubricated. If you’re not sure which lubrication to use, contact your mechanic for recommendations. You should apply the lubricant on the back side of the pads and on the contact points and not directly on the shoe surfaces.
Which Break Noises are Normal?
According to Popular Mechanics, you don’t always have to run to the mechanic when you hear a squeaking noise in your brakes because some noises are normal.
For instance, if the only time you notice the squeaking noises is first thing in the morning, it’s normal. This happens when there’s some moisture in the brake pads, so they have to warm up a bit and get rid of all the moisture before going back to normal. However, try and find a better storage area for your vehicle to prevent damage to your brake pads.
Modern brake systems are also more prone to squeaking because of the materials used. The increased safety equipment and requirements come with extra road-hugging weight that may cause noises in the brake system.
Therefore, you should be able to distinguish between serious and normal brake noises.
Wrapping Up
It’s never a good idea to drive a vehicle with compromised brakes. Therefore, if you’re not sure the sounds your hearing when you press the brake pedal are normal, it’s best to get your brakes checked to rule out any serious problems.
