Hello,

I am new to this forum and this is my first post, so I apologize if my search efforts have overlooked an existing thread on this topic.

My JCW has about 1500 Mi. on it and I recently noticed a noise while braking.

Are you familiar with the noise that brakes make after a long period of a car sitting, and the parts oxidizing? That is the most similar noise that comes to mind, however the car has not been sitting at all, I drive it daily.

Is this normal for the Brembo brakes? This is my first mini, and my first performance car with high grade brakes on it, so I am not sure if this is normal or not?

Your feedback and thoughts are appreciated.

 

i'm pretty sure i'm hearing the same thing. not sure what it is

 

Mine (4500 mi) makes the same sound. I'd say it's just part of the character of the car.

 

I've noticed the same as well. Sort of embarassing when you're out with someone, and the brakes squeal like they are needing replacement. Interesting to hear that I'm not the only one with this issue

 

mine squeal also

 

Pretty much standard issue on upgraded brakes. I have had plenty of big brake kits, designed for performance not to be quiet. You can change the pad but there might be a sacrafice. My race car squeels like a pig when the brakes get tempurature in them.

 

I have the same issue, specially at low speed. I started noticing after my first track day at about 3000 km.

 

Welcome to the world of performance brakes! Unfortunately, the squeal is a "feature" that comes with the upgrade. I have an RX8 that I run Hawk HP plus's on and it squeals like a pig being sacrificed when it gets up to temp. Same with Carbotech. Ceramic brake pads are a good choice for helping with the noise and still have a good bite and feel. I think Hawk is now making them for the front of the factory JCW.

 

Just to clarify on the Carbotech Pads. The Street 1521 pads have little to no noise. The Carbotech XP and AX6 pads will be noisy like any track pad. Carbotech was the 1st to offer pads for the 09+ JCW Brakes.
The Street pads will also reduce your dust issues and prolong rotor life.

 

My bad, I should have clarified which pads...thanks for the clarification!

 

@ the OP: I had noise at around the same miles on the Odo. I don't recall when it was, but I haven't heard it in a while w/4400 miles on the odo now.

 

Mine was doing it...until I got up to about 50 on a side street and locked it up a couple of times. The pads are glazing over because there is no asbestos. By doing a couple emergency brakings you burn that glaze off.

 

My JCW Clubman now has 7800 miles and my brakes started squeeling at about 5000 miles. I did put a whole day of Laguna Seca race track time on the car at 4500 miles. And really gave the brakes a good work-out.
I took the car to the dealer today and they replaced the front pads.
They said on the invoice: "pads noisey, sensors making contact, pads still at 7mm remaining".
No more "Garbage truck like" squeeling brakes!

 

Did they charge you for the replacements or was it a warranty issue?

Cheers from England

 

Yes, brake pads covered under warranty. The Mini warranty seems pretty good and covers all items that wear out, except tyres. Even wiper blades.

 

With Brembo calipers, the pads more or less "float" inside the caliper. Some squealing is to be expected, but there are minor fixes that can be done. If the squeal is excessive, I would say there is a problem.

If the pads were installed with shims, it could be the shims causing the squeal. If there are no shims, that could be your problem as well (I know, catch-22).

There are also some silicone products you can use to quiet the squeal. With OEM pads the squeal should not be the type you get with Pagid, Hawk, StopTech type pads. OEM pads are not designed for regular track use and don't need the heat to work well.

Havnap's solution may work for you. Pads need to be seated correctly and doing a handful of fast 60 to 0 stops will get them hot, deglazed and seated properly. Just make sure you let them cool properly afterwards - go for a low speed drive without using the brakes and then park the car without the park brake (which can warp hot rotors).

 

I live on Long Island and brakes pretty much started squeeking when I picked my JCW up. After our bad weather just took in for complimentary detail and they took brakes apart and said rears were worse and rusty, like the car sits around. I have almost 8000 miles and only had since mid-October. Drving the other day, and there it was squeek, not horrible, but enough to bother me knowing I spend mega $$ on this high performance car. Brakes should NOT squeek. Period. And yes, it is embarissing.

 

My brakes are starting to squeel again at 8500 miles after the dealer
replaced the pads at 7500 miles. Maybe it's time for a new factory brake
pad made with "non-squeel" formula. We can always use the handbrake to stop the car to prevent embarrassing moments.

 

I've got a little over 5,500 miles on my 09 factory JCW and the factory JCW brakes squeak on mine as well. For me, it usually only happens while in reverse. The car has gone in twice for this issue (as well as a few others) and both times my SA just told me that this is pretty standard and the "brakes just squeal when they have dust built up on them." My SA also said "we have blown the dust off your brakes so you shouldn't have this problem now." I was told that both times they tried to work on this issue for me and both times this method stopped the squeaking for only a day or two tops. I mean how much brake dust can build up in 5,00 miles?? I have a hard time believeing that it is so much dust it requires two cleanings at the dealership...

It is really bothersome to me as well, but may just be a fact of life unless you go to a non OEM brake pad.....even my mom's Maserati Quattroporte has had squealing brakes since around 5-7K miles, and that car cost a bit more than my MINI.

 

Mr Floyd, same here. THere were times in reverse this winter I swear I woke up the neighbors. they told me they took back and front totoally apart, and cleaned out rust... crazy, I will live with, but every time I go in, I will have them clean them out.

 

Interesting KGuy....my brake noise also started during winter. Texas winter's aren't bad compared to up north, but at first I just thought something about the cold weather may be causing that sound. Now that we've been in the 60-80 degree ranges for the last month or two, I've realized that it wasn't just cold weather that was triggering this sound.

I've also noticed a trend lately that there seem to be more and more threads on here about several different, specific problems that are related only to the 09 factory JCW. This worries me more than a bit...

 

Mr. Floyd, when it's in reverse have you ever almost shattered glass with the high pitched squeel? Besides noise from fan and brakes, these are my only issues. I hope no others creep up, because even with those I love this car more than the day I picked it up, and I tend to bore quickly in my cars.
For the money, gas miliage, even the way it handles in snow, top two cars I ever owned, and that's saying alot.
PS. When they give me a loaner MCS, there is a HUGE difference. Had to keep that over weekend, made me miss my JCW badly. Night and day!

 

My brakes have a loud, wake-up-the-neighbors squeal the first time I press the pedal after they get wet e.g. a wash, rain. Other than that it's mostly a light screech that I'm either getting used to or has faded.

 

Mine squeal as well. Not very loud but noticeable.

 

SA's are so funny. My R56S JCW Friends, it's not the dust that make the noise it's the compound of the pad that makes the noise. They are pads designed to be "all things to all people" and that pad makes noise and dust.

There are other pads on the market that are designed to give the same or better stopping power with much less dust and little to no noise.