My brakes are... creaking?

[Vilan]

I had new front pads and rotors put on my car a few weeks ago. Most of the time everything is fine, but every so often as I pull up to a stop light I hear a creaking noise that wasn't there before. Not a squeal, definitely a creak. If I go slowly enough, I can hear it slowly creak for a second or two, then quiet, then creak again as the wheels turn. Then it goes away for a few days and I think it's gone, but it keeps coming back.

Any ideas? Will this go away? It's got a 3 month warranty so I can still take it back if they screwed up installing them, but I'm not really sure why it's happening to begin with.

 

[ikeepmychevytoo]

Heat shielding plate comes to my mind. It is metal, may get loose and can make a creaking noise amphlicating the vibrations.

 

[Tosh]

Take it back and make them fix it. Trying to diagnose it for them may be counter-productive, as they won't appreciate being told how to do their job. But it could be a good lesson for those of us who work on our own cars, so do please keep us posted.

 

[Master ACiD]

my brakes do the same thing. as i pull to a stop the brakes make a groaning creeking sound, and if you hold youre hand on the floor, you can gently feel the whole car shuddering with the noise.

its got something to do with the brakes pulsing from locked to unlocked back and fourth very quickly. somehow the suspension loads up in the bushings and then unloads, which makes the brakes pulse on and off.

i have had my entire brake system apart trying to fix this and nothing seems to have worked. i may elect to go buy a new set of pads and shoes and see if that works. but who knows.

for some reason some cars just do this and some dont. my bro in laws brand new jeep grand cherokee did this from the first day he got it from the dealer. the dealer said this was a common thing among cherokees, he ended up lemonining the car.

 

[Vilan]

Not trying to diagnose it for them, just wondering if I should bother taking it in or if I'm just hassling them for no good reason.

This is the third set of pads/rotors for my car, and the first two didn't creak, so I won't let them tell me "they all do that".

Though maybe the brand I'm using now does, who knows. Guess I'll just take it in and see what they say.

 

[john_ertw]

I put new pads on last week and have the same problem. I believe the creaking only occurs during slower stops but I haven't had the problem long enough to be sure. I did the work myself, so I know everything was lubricated and nothing like the heat shields were bent. It's kind of a mystery.

My best guess right now has to do with how the pads rub against the shims.... when I tried to put the shims that came with the new pads on the caliper bracket, the inside pad would not slide freely. This was on the driver's side. I ended up cleaning the old shim and putting it back on the car. When I got to the passenger side I didn't even remove the old shim... only cleaned and lubricated it.

 

[Vilan]

Took the car in today.

"We didn't notice any creaking."

Well, it has to be going very slowly, and it's only sometimes there.

"It should probably go away. Maybe you didn't break them in properly, you need to be gentle for the first week or so."

Didn't drive it any differently than normal. No sudden stops.

"

"

So the mystery remains. Guess I'll just get used to it.

 

[Palut]

My Accord's right rear wheel did this for awhile after I got new brake pads last year. I have no clue what it was. It never caused a braking problem and it's gone now...