John Ellis & Son is the best auto shop in Sacramento, and we would be happy to inspect the brake system if your brakes squeal all the time. This can be a dangerous sign that the brakes are overheating. We will talk more about this below as well as the other reasons why brakes squeal.
Broken Anti-Rattle Clips
There are clips that attach the brake pads to the calipers to prevent the pads from vibrating. If the pads vibrate when you apply the brakes, the brakes will squeal. Unfortunately, these clips can break. If they do, you guessed it! The pads will vibrate. We will inspect the anti-rattle clips to make sure they are intact. If they are not, we will replace them.
Missing Pad Insulation
Another thing that keeps the pads quiet when you apply the brakes is the brake pad insulation. This insulation is installed when the brake system is assembled in the factory. Every time you get new brake pads, the insulation needs to be replaced. If your brakes started to squeal after you had a pad service performed, it’s possible that the technician did not install new insulation.
Overheating Brakes
As we mentioned above, squealing brakes could be overheating brakes. This is the noise that the brakes make when they get too hot. The reason why this is dangerous is that the brakes will eventually fail. As such, you should pull over and have your vehicle towed to our shop if the brake system is overheating. Another sign that the brakes are too hot is burning chemical or carpet odors.
Worn Brake Pads
The brake pads themselves are designed to make noise when they get too low. There are indicators in the pads that will make them squeal if they need to be replaced. If you have a low pad indicator light on your dashboard, this will also illuminate. It’s important to have the brake pads changed when they need it to avoid damaging the rotors.
Worn Rotor Surfaces
Speaking of the rotors, they put up with a lot of abuse. When you apply the brakes, the pads press against them to generate friction. The pads will eventually wear the surfaces of the rotors down. When this happens, your brakes will start to squeal.
John Ellis & Son in Sacramento, CA, would be happy to help, so bring us up today. We will inspect your brake system to find the cause of the noise and fix it.
