Why Do My Brakes Squeal All the Time?

Everybody can hear you stopping. Your brakes have been squealing like crazy lately, and you have no idea why. Advantage Auto Service can help. We can find out why your brakes keep squealing. Chances are, the problem is one of the common reasons for squealing brakes that we are listing below. Regardless of the issue, it’s important to have your squealing brakes inspected right away.

Your Brake Pads Are Low

As your brake pads wear down, they may begin to squeal every time you use your brakes. This isn’t necessarily a common sign. Oftentimes, you will hear noises until the brake pads have worn down to their backings. At that time, you will hear grinding every time you step on the brakes. Some people also describe the sound as scraping, and it is the brake pad backings scraping against the rotors. If left unfixed, the brake pad backings will damage the rotors.

You’ve Got a Low Indicator Warning

Brakes will also squeal while you are driving if you have an indicator embedded in the brake pads that is designed to make noise once the brake pad level reaches 1/4-of-an-inch. This is the time that the brake pads need to be replaced, as they will not have enough surface to continue to stop your car effectively. The brake pad surface is a friction-inducing surface, and without that friction, it’s much harder to stop your automobile. The indicator will squeal when you’re driving and stop when you brake.

Your Brakes Are Overheating

If you have a bad habit of riding your brakes, or if you are stuck in a situation where you have to ride the brakes, your brakes will begin to overheat. Riding the brakes means that you keep your foot on the brake pedal and unintentionally engage the brakes all the time. As the brake pads rub against the brake rotors, the excess friction overheats the pads and the rotors. This is called “glazing,” and your overheated brakes will squeal every time you use them.

You’ve Got Part Damage

Finally, sometimes when brake parts get damaged or are not working as they should, your brakes will squeal. The most common problems include broken anti-rattle clips, which are the clips that keep the brake calipers in place; worn out brake pad insulation shims; incorrectly installed pad insulation; no pad insulation; and an incorrect rotor surface cut, or no surface cut on the rotors at all. Any one of these things can make your brakes squeal when you use them.

Call or stop by Advantage Auto Service in Marietta, GA, for brake inspection and repair services. We’ll get to the bottom of the reason why your brakes are squealing and fix it.