2008 E70 Brake Squeak

[Marcool]

My 08 X5 now has 3000KM on it ( too bad I don't drive it a lot). But recently I was so pissed off by the brake squeak. It happens when I drive slowly or at slow acceleration from a stop sign and I could'nt tell it's from the front or rear (or both). But it disappears when I hit the brake. This annoying squeak gets worse when it's wet or snowing and makes my X5 sounds like a ice cream truck.

I got an appointment with my dealer but I will have to wait two weeks. Does anyone here experienced the similar problem or any suggetion about the cause? Thanks.

[Zoich]

Disc brakes are not that complicated. The way the brake caliper holds your inner and outer brake pads is that:
Inner: held on by the piston
Outer: freely hanging on to the caliper bracket -- that's the source of the squeak. when it's loose, it lightly rubs your rotor (squeaks) - until you apply brakes (firmly grabbing on the roter, no squeaks)
It's a simple fix, a dab of the sticky goo or spray on the back side of the brake pad so it's not so loose.

It can be done anywhere, but does require to take the wheel off and the caliper off to get to that exterior brake pad.

[M6X]

mine has about 3500kms on it. before it was squeaking when brakes gently applied all the time. now it's doing it less. eventually it will stop. just give it time.

[Marcool]

Originally Posted by M6X

mine has about 3500kms on it. before it was squeaking when brakes gently applied all the time. now it's doing it less. eventually it will stop. just give it time.

I think we have different problems. Yours is squeak when gentlely applying the brake. So the squeak is expected to disappear after the "brake-in" period. Mine is squeak when driving slowly (gone when apply brake more than gently). It looks like the pads fail to be released at low speed.

[M6X]

Originally Posted by Marcool

I think we have different problems. Yours is squeak when gentlely applying the brake. So the squeak is expected to disappear after the "brake-in" period. Mine is squeak when driving slowly (gone when apply brake more than gently). It looks like the pads fail to be released at low speed.

did you have auto hold on?

[Marcool]

Originally Posted by M6X

did you have auto hold on?

No. It's turned off.

[nynd]

My guess is you've got some crap stuck in the pad. You may want to use a pressure washer and give it a good blast (each wheel). Sometimes the sand/salt crap on our roads will get lodged into the pad.

[M6X]

btw, how come your 2008 only has 3000kms?

[Penguin]

Oft times a few hard applications of the brakes will eliminate brake squeak, if you are a chronically gentle braker as I am (my brake pads have lasted more than 50K on every vehicle I have owned).

Now, I am not talking about emergency braking that causes the ABS to kick in, simply some aggressive braking on a good surface.

[Marcool]

Originally Posted by M6X

btw, how come your 2008 only has 3000kms?

Well, I bought it in November.