Low speed brake squeal

[DAC17]

Just had a pair of Mintex red box pads installed on my 2005 X5 3.0 (no new rotors). About 12K miles on the car. I note a pronounced high-pitched squeal in the brakes at light application rates only. Is it likely that they somehow screwed up the wear sensors, or is there some new "break-in period" needed?

Thanks.

[rayxi]

You need to go through a pad bedding procedure to get the most out of your new pads. http://www.zeckhausen.com/bedding_in_brakes.htm

The squeal could be caused by improper/lack of bedding and/or lack of anti-squeal compound on the backs of the pads. Also check the anti-rattle clips on the pads to see if they were reinstalled properly.

If your brake wear light came on then the sensors should have been replaced. If the light didn't come on then the old sensors can be reused. Properly installed the sensors don't touch the rotor with new pads so they shouldn't make any noise at all.

[The Cleaner]

Hate to say it but that is a common complaint on the red box mintex, especially when you dont change out the rotors.

[94502]

why change the pads so soon???

[jek889]

I had the same squeal when I changed to the red box pads. Drive them for about 500 miles more or less and the squeal will go away. Antisqueal compound won't help that much. The squeal is annoying, and is caused by the worn rotor surface vs. new pad. Think of it as an old style needle on a vinyl record. Be patient. You can actually see the new pads bed in by looking for the blue haze left on the rotors. The rears will take longer than the fronts. I find the pads work as good as the stock pads overall, with a lot less dust build up.

[rayxi]

Originally Posted by jek889

I had the same squeal when I changed to the red box pads. Drive them for about 500 miles more or less and the squeal will go away. Antisqueal compound won't help that much. The squeal is annoying, and is caused by the worn rotor surface vs. new pad. Think of it as an old style needle on a vinyl record. Be patient. You can actually see the new pads bed in by looking for the blue haze left on the rotors. The rears will take longer than the fronts. I find the pads work as good as the stock pads overall, with a lot less dust build up.

Why live with it for 500 miles when you can do the proper bedding procedure and be done with it in 30 minutes?

[jek889]

I tried bedding in the brakes by following the recommended procedure, but had no safe place to do the multiple high speed start/stops needed. Too many cops and other drivers around. Driving on them for a couple hundred miles was just easier.

[rayxi]

I can appreciate the safety/cops issue but driving for 500 miles doesn't accomplish the same thing as following the procedure. The procedure doesn't call for excessive speeds. You can probably do it in the mall parking lot after hours.

[DAC17]

Thanks for the thoughts. I tried to do the bedding in procedure today, but didn't have the right roads that were clear enough to do it perfectly; I'll get to that this weekend!

BTW, as to why did I change them out so early: I couldn't stand the amount and acidity of the stock brake dust any more.

[apetrov1x5]

my brake pads started squealing after 10k miles and are still annoying me at 15k miles. they are stock. did anyone had this problem?