There’s nothing quite like discovering that your vehicle is making a sound that it’s not supposed to make, and one of the most common unexpected vehicle noises is squeaky brakes. Squeaky brakes can be alarming, but are they always reason to panic?
In this article, we’ll highlight some of the causes of squeaky brakes, what they mean for your vehicle, different types of brakes available, as well as answers to questions like whether it’s okay to drive with squeaky brakes and how you can fix squeaky brakes at home (when possible).
Let’s get started.
Why Brakes Squeak
The spectrum of reasons why brakes squeak is wide, ranging from very minor issues to relatively severe problems. While it’s difficult to know why brakes are squeaking simply from the sound they make, there are some very common problems that could be leading to that sound you hear whenever you hit the brakes and have to scrunch up your face at the sound. Here are some of the most common reasons for brakes that squeak.
Worn Brake Pads
Brakes work by applying brake pads to the wheel rim, creating friction that slows down the motion of the wheel and in turn your vehicle. As you can imagine, those brake pads will eventually wear down from all that friction, particularly in older vehicles.
The squeak you hear in this case comes from metal pieces within your brake pad that have been revealed by brakes that are wearing away, and the squeak is designed to let you know that it’s time to have them replaced.
Rusty Brake Rotor
Your brake rotors are another piece that experiences wear over time, and rusted down brake rotors can also be a common cause of squeaking. Fortunately, brake rotors don’t always have to be replaced— sometimes a mechanic can use a special tool to file off rust or other debris and get rid of that annoying squeak. Just make sure you take care of the problem early, as letting rusted brake rotors go too long without repair can cause more serious damage to your brakes.
Lots of Hard Braking
Are you someone who tends to brake at the last second, causing you to have to brake hard to avoid running into other vehicles or run red lights? The harder you brake on a regular basis, the more quickly your brake pads and other brake parts will wear out, leading to squeaking. If you want to avoid squeaky brakes that need to be repaired, try to drive more cautiously and give yourself plenty of time to come to a stop whenever possible while driving. Not only will you get much more life out of your brake pads, you’ll also get more life out of your vehicle generally.
New Brakes
We’ve already covered how old brakes can cause squeaks, but did you know that new brakes can, too? Sometimes brand-new vehicles need to be ‘broken in’ to get rid of some initial sounds that come with them from the factory. While you should still have your vehicle inspected if you experience brake squeak, even if it’s a new vehicle, you may find that your car simply needs to be driven a bit to get rid of that new-car squeak.
Moisture
Your car is a machine, and nothing causes issues in machines quite like moisture. Moisture buildup in your brakes can be another cause of squeaky sounds, ranging from condensation due to humidity to water that’s gotten caught somewhere in your brakes after a car wash. Fortunately, moisture is one of the easiest brake problems to solve— as long as it’s caught before it can cause any long-term issues.
Sand or Dust
Debris can also get lodged in you brakes, particularly in the brake rotor. While this isn’t a major issue initially, if left uncorrected this debris can cause friction within your brakes and damage them more over time. We already mentioned how your mechanic can sand dirt, rust and other debris off your brake rotor— just make sure you bring your vehicle in for inspection whenever you hear a squeak.
Heavy Loads
Towing or carrying heavy loads is always going to put additional stress on your vehicle. That applies especially to your brakes when stopping, because your brakes aren’t just stopping your momentum— they’re also stopping the momentum of whatever you’re hauling. You might notice that your brakes squeak a bit more and a bit louder when you’re towing. Even if the sound goes away when you don’t have a load, you probably still want to get your vehicle checked out to be safe. If it’s squeaking when hauling now, it will probably start squeaking more regularly down the road.
Simply Noisy Brakes
Sometimes brakes produce noise for reasons that aren’t due to mechanical issues. Sometimes they just need lubricant, and sometimes they’re simply poorly designed brakes that result in squeaks. We’ll discuss some of the quick fixes for noisy brakes in a later section.
Is It Okay to Drive with Squeaky Brakes?
Want to know one of the most common questions we receive? “Is it okay to drive with squeaky brakes?”
This is a tough question to answer, because as we explored above, there are too many reasons for brake squeal to make a general statement about whether it’s a serious issue or not.
We will acknowledge that there’s a certain amount of brake squeak that isn’t a serious problem. New brakes squeak occasionally before they’ve been broken in, and sometimes carrying heavy loads can make them more noisy.
That said, do you want to take a risk on the safety of your vehicle by ignoring brake noise? When it comes to safety, your brakes are arguably the most important component of your vehicle. You ignore their maintenance at your own peril.
Here’s our advice— if you’re not personally experienced with vehicle maintenance, take your car in to see a mechanic anytime your brakes squeak. Why? Because the cost of a simple assessment for the cause of the squeak probably won’t cost you much— often nothing at all. From there, you can make an informed decision about whether the squeak is harmless, whether it’s a serious issue that needs a mechanic’s help, or whether it’s something minor that you can fix yourself on the cheap.
With that in mind, let’s discuss some of the ways you can fix minor brake squeak issues yourself at home.
Remember— squeaking brakes can be the sign of a serious issue. Only rely on these at-home solutions if you’re certain there isn’t a serious mechanical issue at play and you feel confident enough with your DIY skills to manage some of these fixes.
How to Stop Squeaky Brakes
Looking to tackle squeaky brakes yourself? Here are some potential DIY solutions that will help you get there on your own. They range from preventative measures to potential fixes you can try when you’re tired of that ear-piercing squeal— and your neighbors are tired of it, too.
Adjust Your Driving
If you’re looking to avoid squeaky brakes entirely, one of the best preventive measures you can take is to simply change the way you drive. As we mentioned above, sudden and hard braking is one of the fastest ways to make your brakes start squeaking. If you’re noticing a little bit of occasional squeak and don’t want it to turn into a full-blown problem, simply adjust your driving style.
Practice giving yourself a longer distance to come to a stop. You can also follow vehicles less closely, allowing more time to slow down if they stop or slow down unexpectedly in front of you. Driving more defensively and less aggressively will reward you with brakes that last longer and don’t squeak.
Lubricate Brakes
If you’re experiencing squeaky brakes but you’ve ruled out a major mechanical issue, and if your vehicle or brakes are relatively new, it may be as simple as a lack of lubricant at the points where contact is made between the brake and the wheel. You can apply grease to these contact points yourself in a fairly simple process, but you’ll need to remove the brake pads from their calipers first. Just remember to keep grease off the surface of the rotor and the point where the brake pads are designed to make contact with the wheel— these are points where friction is a good thing, because it’s how your brakes slow down your vehicle.
See a Mechanic
Sometimes your brake pads or rotors (or both) are simply at the end of their life. While no one likes unexpected costs, the good news is that brake repairs are among the least expensive when it comes to major vehicle repairs.
Conclusion
At Freedom National, our mission isn’t just to provide cheap car insurance online for people all over the country. We want to help you become a more informed, safe, and confident driver, and that begins with knowing the secrets to vehicle safety, important insurance facts, and how to navigate the rules and regulations of your state or area.
If you want to learn more, explore our knowledge base for a range of articles to help you expand your car insurance expertise.
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