Too lazy to sift through the search, never finds what I'm looking for anyways. Reason why I'm asking this question is because I have about 25,000 miles now on my '07, and recently took my car in to try to get the brakes looked at for a whooshing, metallic sound that you usually get from a caliper sticking, which apparently only I was hearing. Dealer looked at it and told me nothing was wrong. Independent mechanic looked at it and told me nothing was wrong. I'm pretty sure both only did a visual inspection of the front (only) as both did it for free. In fact the independent shop told me that they only visually inspected the front.

Now I'm starting to get a squeal. I think it's coming from the left side, but I'm not sure. On the repair order from the dealer I had it taken to (which they also fixed the spoiler, which was successful), it states that I had told them that it was the left rear that was making the noise. It states they did a brake system check and that the front and rears were ok, but didn't state how they checked them.

Basically what I want to know is 2 things. 1. When did you have to get your brake pads replaced? 2. If it was a caliper that caused this, what do you think I should do about getting this fixed (for free of course, calipers are still covered under my warranty)?

Thanks.

 

I changed my pads and rotors at about 28K miles mainly because I was sick of the dust. The original pads had at least half left on them. I also had a squeal from the passenger side - found out that the front outboard pad had separated from the backing. The only way you could tell was to remove the caliper.

The new Rotex pads are GREAT - they stop just as well as the OEM pads, but the near total lack of dust is FANTASTIC! Not having to listen to the squeal is a big plus, too! Just make sure to put anti-squeal compound on whatever pads you put on.

 

55K Miles and still going on the first pads. Had them checked not too long ago and the dealership told me they are only halfway done and still plenty of life on them. I have a 2005 base coupe (stick). I tend to be very easy on my brakes and I think having a stick shifter helps take it easy on the pads.

By the way, not all of my miles are highway miles.

 

This squeal is fairly common and there are several threads that describe it. I have the same noise, but have had no success locating the source, although I know it is brake related.

My mother has a limited coupe down in Florida with 75K on the clock and she still has stock pads with some life in them...

 

By the way, I have the same squeal in the front left tire. I hear it mostly when I am turning at low speeds. Don't know what it is and I have given up on trying to find out. I mentioned it to the dealer and they said my brakes are fine and bearings are ok. I asked them to do my brakes and they wouldn't touch them. I gave them my 100% permission to do the job. I figure they would have wanted to make money and change them... so they must really not be bad for them to be honest and tell me it wasn't needed.

Everyone here has the same nosie. I have given up on trying to find the cause. I don't care about it and I am not going to worry about it unless it gets worse. I guess your car is bound to make some noise with all those metal moving parts!

 

replaced my fronts at about 30k

 

The M/B dealer we bought the 2004 from last month had just replaced the front pads and rotors as part of the get-ready routine. The car had 45k on it at the time...

 

The stick shift makes a big difference in brake wear.

I have the same annoyance. It is, I believe, the brake pads loose in their pockets, ever so slightly touching the rotor.

roadster with a stick

The way it should be!

 

This stuff works to stop the squealing if your pads are still in good shape. Pull out the pads, spray on the metal side, let dry, put the pads back in:




You can get it at Autozone.

 

The simple fact is that the pads are touching all the time as there is no positive pressure to move them away from the rotor after the brake pressure is released, wear to the pad and rotor due to this is virtually non-existent. Drum brakes use springs to maintain a gap between drum and shoe.
Sticky cylinders or pads that are tight in their mountings will cause noise and wear, seemingly inspection has ruled this out in your case. This condition is obvious after some time due to extra wear on one pad or one set of pads.
Warped rotors push the pads away by the amount of the warp, but you hear intermittent hisses as the pad touches the high spot on the rotor.
You hear the left side because that is the side you sit, your passenger will say that their side is making a noise.

 

Like OKC-XFR I replaced my perfectly good OEM pads at 32k. I was tired of the brake dust and switched to the Rotex Gold; worth evrey penny.

Word of caution: When is the last time you changed your brake fluid?
Did mine when I changed the pads. Will do it every two years. When you desperately need our great brakes is not the time to find that there is water in the brake lines.

 

Well, like I described, I am getting that metallic swooshing sound that comes from a warped rotor. It's really irritating. And now, I'm not the only one hearing that noise or the brake squeal. My girlfriend also has stated that she hears it.

Haven't yet actually. Dealer I took it to first did one of their free "inspections" and said the brake fluid was dirty/contaminated. I'm starting to think they may have done it, since the brakes were fine before I took it to them. Either way, I have yet to change the brake fluid on it, which I know it's recommended after 2 years or 24,000 miles. Problem is what to do about this now. I know this isn't normal, since this isn't my first experience with this kind of problem.

If it makes any difference, shortly after I had purchased the car, I had to take it in for the brakes. Rotor had to be resurfaced and a caliper readjusted. I think it really is the dealer now that just didn't want to do the paper work for a warranty claim. If I was willing to pay them myself, I'm sure they would have hopped right on it.

 

Good stuff, that.

I had to replace my pads at 2,000 miles because I just couldn't take the brake dust any longer!! Yep, practically brand new pads, but I guess I just don't have the patience some of you do. So I picked up some Posi-Quiet ceramics, a can of the above mentioned product, and swapped out perfectly good pads on all four corners. No squeaks, no squeals, no dust. Happy driver.

 

Have to agree here way TOO MUCH dust , Replaced mine 1 month after I purchased the car.

 

Damned odd - I've probably swept metric tons of brake dust off the front wheels over time, yet the pads are fine after 35K. Where does all of that filthy dust come from? It defies all laws of physics and Einstein's E=mc2! Matter created out of thin air!

Rotex Gold, you say?

 

Too much dirt on the wheels? I think that it makes the rest of my black car look clean. All part of my Al Gore green living philosophy, laziness is what my wife calls it.

 

hahaha. i can only take either car out a handful of times (tops) before i have to clean the rims...inside and out. that and hit/miss parts are the only downsides of owning a completely stock srt-6.

 

I have just rolled over 51K miles on my 2005 Roadster and the dealer says I have 5-10% of the pads left on the front now. Gonna spring for the Rotex Gold since I hate the dust.

I have been waiting for these original pads to wear out and it has finally happened. I guess the braking system on these cars is uber-efficient. lol

 

57K miles on the original pads with plenty of life left. I asked the dealership to do my brakes and they refused to touch them. Said I had plenty of pad left.

 

Only if you had the car from new would you know that you had 51,000 or 57,000 miles on the original pads.
Your first post states you purchased the car 21 months ago, was it sitting on the new car lot the rest of the time?