R50/53 Service Advisor says "All MINIs brakes squeal"...!?
4th Gear
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 552
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From: Wisconsin
BTW: My OEM pads didn't squeek.
2nd Gear
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 67
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From: Knoxville, TN
This is not a problem that is limited to MINI's. Many newer cars will exhibit occasional brake noise under different weather conditions. Brake pads are no longer made of Asbestos and are usually semi-metalic. These inherantly are more noisy especially in the morning when the pads and discs are cold or damp. If the noise goes away after a few hard application of the brakes, I think it has more to do with your driving patterns and the nature of semi-metallic pads than any defect in the braking system. If not, or the sound is present when you are not depressing the brakes, then there could be a problem.
3rd Gear
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 208
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From: San Diego, CA
The brakes on my '06 squeal especially at slow speeds in sharp turns, i.e. turning into my driveway. The brakes on my 3 series did the same thing. I was told it was a "BMW" thing, to go along with the generation of copious amounts of brake dust.
I am changing to Hawk ceramic pads soon, so I will see if that solves the noise and dust issues.
I am changing to Hawk ceramic pads soon, so I will see if that solves the noise and dust issues.
6th Gear
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,443
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From: Wichita, Kansas
A question for you sqeekers.......Do you use your brakes, especially on the highway to reduce speed slightly???
You should hardly ever have to use your brakes unless you are comming to a stop. I see all kinds people blip the brakes on the highway all the time, often times just becasue a car in front of them did it and sometimes just to controls speed.......when just a lift of the gas pedal reduces speed. This driving style can glaze those rotors and is typical of "cautious" drivers
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,941
Likes: 1
From: Snowy Wisconsin
Not really.....glazed rotors will sqeek and is often a result of light braking
A question for you sqeekers.......Do you use your brakes, especially on the highway to reduce speed slightly???
You should hardly ever have to use your brakes unless you are comming to a stop. I see all kinds people blip the brakes on the highway all the time, often times just becasue a car in front of them did it and sometimes just to controls speed.......when just a lift of the gas pedal reduces speed. This driving style can glaze those rotors and is typical of "cautious" drivers
A question for you sqeekers.......Do you use your brakes, especially on the highway to reduce speed slightly???
You should hardly ever have to use your brakes unless you are comming to a stop. I see all kinds people blip the brakes on the highway all the time, often times just becasue a car in front of them did it and sometimes just to controls speed.......when just a lift of the gas pedal reduces speed. This driving style can glaze those rotors and is typical of "cautious" drivers
I am a very light user of my brakes and I thought maybe that was the problem. It does seem to come & go. They don't squeak all the time (or maybe I have my music turned up to far to consistently hear it) and it does seem more noticeable in colder weather.
Coordinator :: Mini's of the Ozark Region
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: Springfield, Mo
Brakes are not supposed to make noise but some do and disk brakes usually include some device to prevent it. Constant, loud noises are a sign of something wrong. The idea to heat the brakes till they stink is not a good idea as this boils off the bonding material in the pads and can warp the disk. A second opinion from a good mechanic is the best idea because they can actually look and drive it. My advice is as good as what you paid for it.
4th Gear
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 386
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From: East Central Indiana
...and so is the "free" service and "free" advise of the SA!
The old adage was never more true..."You get what you pay for"!
The old adage was never more true..."You get what you pay for"!
This is basically the same answer I got last weekend. I did not take it as being flippant, because the SA also added that the MINI is really a performance car. I was only used to that phrase being applied to "muscle car", but he said its meant to be driven more aggressively than the average family sedan.
I've also read a couple articles about "bedding" brakes that are pretty aggressive! "Multiple stops from 80 to 10 till brakes start to fade." (should be done on a track if possible for safety) SA said when you can smell the brakes (hot) they're ready for use.
I might add that although I enjoy the thrill of "speedier" cornering and braking, I need to get a more spill-proof coffee cup!!!
I've also read a couple articles about "bedding" brakes that are pretty aggressive! "Multiple stops from 80 to 10 till brakes start to fade." (should be done on a track if possible for safety) SA said when you can smell the brakes (hot) they're ready for use. I might add that although I enjoy the thrill of "speedier" cornering and braking, I need to get a more spill-proof coffee cup!!! Any time I had a brake squeal in any car I have ever owned, there was a problem. Be it time to change linings, clean some debris from the pads or shoes, or whatever, if I looked hard enough, I found a problem to correct.
2nd Gear
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
This is interesting that SA's are saying this given the wear on my 03s. I went in for the first major checkup around 24K and my brakes were metal on metal in the back and almost to that point in front. Even so I had never heard even one squeak. I was commenting on this to the SA and voicing my disappointment over the short pad life. He explained that all Minis have poor pad life due to the soft formulation of the pads. He said they did this on purpose TO AVOID SQUEAKING ISSUES! Someone's getting lied to here. I suspect they give any answer that will get them out of the immediate problem with that customer. 
4th Gear
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 596
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From: Hillsboro, Oregon
[quote=Gromit801;1303704]That SA is a twit. I have a JCW, and have NEVER had brake squeal. Even during the break in period when I was driving less than enthusiastically.
quote]
I don't think name calling helps much.....I think the general consensus is that the pads are glazing...
quote]
I don't think name calling helps much.....I think the general consensus is that the pads are glazing...
Moderator :: Performance Mods
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 5,427
Likes: 8
From: A Den in Maryland
A constant squeal is the sign of defective brakes. An occasional squeak is normal (for ANY brakes), especially in temperature or usage extremes. A constant squealing during braking when there is no signs of excessive wear is usually a sign of pad material separating from the backing, especially when it gets louder as you drive. Unfortunately, it's tough to tell by visual inspection that the pads are separating. You have to disasseble everything and inspect the pads themselves, usually by trying to lift the pad material from the backing.
Your excuse of "All MINI brakes squeal" can also be construed as "All MINI SAs have their heads up their butts".
Your excuse of "All MINI brakes squeal" can also be construed as "All MINI SAs have their heads up their butts".
Helped me immensely. The SA is an unknown entity without a face as far as these forums are concerned, and is stating something that elevates them to Twit status.
Lucky this isn't the case at my regular dealer but after visinting a dozen of them I've found the vast makority fit that bill.
2nd Gear
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 110
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Both of our 05 s had noisy brakes in the beginning, same exact noise. usually under normal driving conditions though, If we're digging in, they're great.....turn the radio up, beat the bag out of the brakes a bit and it'll go away.
, beat the bag out of the brakes a bit and it'll go away.
I've been back to the dealership 4 times since June due to various "minor" issues with my '06. One issue that has been ongoing and consistently annoying to me is the fact that the brakes on my car have squealed since day one. Initially, I bought into the fact that the brakes needed to break in, and didn't let it bother me. Took it in last month when I reached 5K, to have heated washers checked and brakes looked at due to their excessive squeal.
Brakes squeal when depressed, gets louder when I come to a complete stop.
SA told me that they took the brakes apart, found that the rotor's were glazed a bit, roughed them up and told me essentially that "I needed to be more aggressive" when it came to braking and that "all Mini's brakes squealed" especially when they came to a stop and this was exacerbated by cold weather.
This sounds a little odd to me - so I'll ask the masses here who have much more experience with this little car than I. I've owned many cars over my 25 years of motoring, this is the first one that I've ever been told that I don't know how to brake properly with. Am I missing out on a special techique. Perhaps now since I've gone from stick to automatic I'm messing up???? Please advise....Thanks!
Brakes squeal when depressed, gets louder when I come to a complete stop.
SA told me that they took the brakes apart, found that the rotor's were glazed a bit, roughed them up and told me essentially that "I needed to be more aggressive" when it came to braking and that "all Mini's brakes squealed" especially when they came to a stop and this was exacerbated by cold weather.
This sounds a little odd to me - so I'll ask the masses here who have much more experience with this little car than I. I've owned many cars over my 25 years of motoring, this is the first one that I've ever been told that I don't know how to brake properly with. Am I missing out on a special techique. Perhaps now since I've gone from stick to automatic I'm messing up???? Please advise....Thanks!
....35k miles on mine and nary a squeal doeth it make. The dealer needs to add a dab of "anti squeal" to keep the pads from vibrating. That's what I did on mine just to make sure they don't squeal.....Les
Rear brakes to fond 1 of 4 pads has nothing left (only a little bit of nosie the past week) if I was told the sound was normal and to ignore it I'd be pretty PO'd.
Like I said before squealing has many causes and they all signal something is wrong!
Like I said before squealing has many causes and they all signal something is wrong!
2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: North Alabama
Brake Pad Squeal
My brakes have squealed on occasion, not loudly like there was something wrong, no grinding, etc, just a little whistle when lightly braking around a corner. It wasn't particularly disturbing to me and it has since stopped. I have 7,000 miles approx on my MINI.
2nd Gear
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
The brakes on my '04 Cooper squeals whenever my car comes to a stop. This has been ongoing for a little over a year. I did take it in for service (at the 23-34k mark) and told them about it but they said that the brakes were fine. It's really annoying. I'm brining my car in again next week because the battery died twice in the past two months and I had to jumpstart the car each time. I'll bring this issue up again.
Sometimes at the very end of a soft stop ("feathering" the brakes for lack of a better description) I'll hear the slight squeal. It bugs me a little but I don't feel it's worth sitting at the dealer for hours to have them look at it and find nothing wrong.
Like everyone said, that's not normal. An occasional maybe. Mine never does it, but it's garaged. That makes a difference too. If the car gets wet a lot and sits for a couple days often you'll see rust on the rotors. That combined with riding the brakes could glaze them. As would a sticking caliper or hand brake.
If you like playing with your cars, get down and dirty. Clean it up really well, jack her up pull the pads and put anti squeal on the backing of the pads. NOT THE BRAKE PAD SURFACE. Perhaps not enough was put in when it was built, or perhaps you get a LOT of rain or use a drive through car wash with a aggresive under carrige wash? that's minimized / washed out the anti squeal.
Whille you have them out measure tha pad thickness, make sure they are similar left to right to check for a dragging caliper.
The dealer shoulda done that. But not likely. So, you wanna stand on principal with clean hands or want a quiet car and dirty hands? Just kidding, but they're not likely to put that much effort into it, as they likely consider it 'minor'. They're wrong but...
I've had cars that were very sensitive to not having anti squeal used. Others it didn't matter.
If you like playing with your cars, get down and dirty. Clean it up really well, jack her up pull the pads and put anti squeal on the backing of the pads. NOT THE BRAKE PAD SURFACE. Perhaps not enough was put in when it was built, or perhaps you get a LOT of rain or use a drive through car wash with a aggresive under carrige wash? that's minimized / washed out the anti squeal.
Whille you have them out measure tha pad thickness, make sure they are similar left to right to check for a dragging caliper.
The dealer shoulda done that. But not likely. So, you wanna stand on principal with clean hands or want a quiet car and dirty hands?
Just kidding, but they're not likely to put that much effort into it, as they likely consider it 'minor'. They're wrong but...I've had cars that were very sensitive to not having anti squeal used. Others it didn't matter.
