Screeching sound from brakes?
 

I am noticing since a week that when I apply brakes and the car comes to a dead stop, the brakes produce a loud screeching sound. This happens only in rainy weather or after I wash my car. The sounds goes away once the weather is dry. Braking while driving to slow the car, does not produce this sound, its only when the car stops completely.

I researched a little and found that it could be a problem with the rotor or the brake pads. I have driven my car for about 20000miles. Does anyone know if it is time for me to replace the pads and/or rotors? Could it be due to something else? I just put on after market wheels and spacers on my car and I am not sure if that could result in this sound or is it just a coincidence. :confused:

Mine did the same thing. Yours will get worse until it screeches every time you apply the brakes. BMW has a problem with the brake sensor/pad. Take it in and they will replace the sensor and pads stating that a new design is out shortly and they'll replace with something that doesn't make this noise once it comes out. i think this was a big problem on the 5 series or 7 series, and doesn;t affect many X5s, but alas, it does a few. I bet yours is a 2007 - mine is.

Mine is 2008, haven't heard this screeching sound before, it started happening all of a sudden last week. Let me check with the dealer.
I hope they replace it without charging me anything...

try some hard braking from speed first... it should go away on its own if it's the same thing many have seen.

It always goes away after couple of hours once I guess the pads are dry. After I drive in the rain, the sound comes back.:(

The dealer used cleaned my rotors with scotch brite and the sounds has reduced now. But the brake do occasionally screech in rain. The dealer told me that its the first time this has happened in an X and they'll probably have to take out all the rotors and brake pads and clean them thoroughly.
Has anyone experienced this? Do you know after how many miles does BMW replaces the rotors and brake pads under warranty?

No specific miles. The dealer replaces them under the free maintenance plan when they wear-out, i.e., when the brake sensor on the dash indicates they have reached their wear limit.

I had this problem, it was the brake sensor/pad. The dealer replaced them and no more issues.

my fronts began squealing at around 36k miles. Dealer replaced rotors, pads and sensors.

FYI, my idrive thing said i had another 15k miles before replacement.

ask your dealer to physically check the brake pads and rotors for tolerances.

i'm not so sure i would buy into the whole "cleaning thing" too many times.

if they are scrubbing your rotors to remove deposits, i would guess you have glazed the pads and they are trying to get new material transfer from the pads to the rotors.

do you spend a inordinate amount of time in stop and go traffic?

do you rest your left foot on the brake pedal while you drive?

My answer is 'no' to both your questions. I'll go to the dealer this week to see what he has to say...

So I talked to the stealer today and I was told that to remove the wheels and clean the brakes thoroughly (as advised by them last time I went there), would be a paid service and BMW does not pay the dealer for 'environmental damages'. I was quoted 2hrs of labor!
I mean...com'mon, what do these guys think...? My car is just 1.5yrs old and I have to pay for something that is not right with the car itself! Can anyone suggest what could be the problem? It is definitely not the brake pad sensor since they checked it last time. The sound comes only when the brakes are wet (in rain or after a car wash).

Another questions, do I need to get the wheel alignment done, in case all four brakes are serviced?

your alingnment should not be affected by the brake service.

were it me i think i might learn to live with it rather than pay them to clean my brakes.

you could try removing the wheels and spraying an aerosol brake cleaner on the rotors and calipers.

i have no idea what an "enviromental damage" issue might be.

try asking this guy, [email protected] his name is Mike Miller.

I went to another dealer today. Their technician drove my car and after visually inspecting the brakes, told me that it is normal for the brakes to produce that sound when they are wet. In my car, since I have bigger 22" wheels, the gap between the rotor and the wheel is large and thus the rotors and the backing plate easily get wet. He explained me that a BMW wheels is designed in such a way that it acts like a fan and throws air out while rotating at high speeds and thus helps dry the rotors. In my case, since the wheels are big, there is tremendous amount of open space between each spoke and the gap the between the rotor and wheel is large, so the rotors are not drying fast enough and instead are getting more wet.

I guess I'll have to live with this. Folks using 22" aftermarket wheels on their X5: do you also notice something similar?

Anyone?

My buddy has the Hartge Classic II in 22" and no suchj issue....don't see how 214's can create any fan-like action in anything but M-sport wheel (no turbine like blades), although mine does notmake the noise w/214's.....