# MKIV: Annoying squeak from front brake?



## luvaveedub (Jan 11, 2003)

I have a 2001 gti 1.8t with the OEM pads and rotors. I just picked this car up less than a month ago...
A couple of weeks ago I noticed a very "squeaky" sound coming from the my front drivers side. It will squeak with every revolution of the wheel...and when I hit the brakes it goes away!
I jacked it up yesterday thinking maybe a backing plate was touching or the caliper pins were touching the rim...but to no avail? I also checked for ridging on the rotor and both fronts had a small ridge...
Could this sound be from the ridge hitting the pad? Should I replace the newish rotors? Or can the rotors be skimmed?
Thanks for all of the help! The squeak is killing me










_Modified by luvaveedub at 6:25 PM 4-16-2008_


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## luvaveedub (Jan 11, 2003)

*Re: MKIV: Annoying squeak from front brake? (luvaveedub)*

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## luvaveedub (Jan 11, 2003)

*Re: MKIV: Annoying squeak from front brake? (luvaveedub)*

ttt


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## jaso028 (Aug 12, 2007)

*Re: MKIV: Annoying squeak from front brake? (luvaveedub)*

how many miles you got on the brakes??


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## luvaveedub (Jan 11, 2003)

*Re: MKIV: Annoying squeak from front brake? (jaso028)*

I honestly do not know...when I bought the car from a small used dealership...they "said" they put new brakes and rotors on the car...the front brakes are still good...there is lots of pad left. The rears are close to the same...


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## SmoothCab (Jul 6, 2003)

I just posted a couple days ago with the same problem! 
Please post here if you find anything out, I'm taking my caliper apart tomorrow and I will do the same. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
Bump as I would like to know if anyone else has any ideas.


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## luvaveedub (Jan 11, 2003)

*Re: (SmoothCab)*

Awesome...I am working to figure this out...I took both wheels off yesterday to find nothing out of the ordinary...grrrr. a very light ridge on both rotors, but I don't think enough to make that sounds...
Let me know what you find with the caliper...
I am thinking scrap it all and go big breaks...lol. What an excuse...
"Squeaking? Psssssshhhhh may aswell spend $$$$$$ for big breaks, and fix that problem.lol"


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## SmoothCab (Jul 6, 2003)

*Re: (luvaveedub)*

Ok, here's the scoop.
I got everything all ready to go (jack, tools, etc) and found out I lost my lugnut key!! 
So unless my wife has one in the back of her Jetta, I'm going to have to wait a little while until I get a new key to get the wheel off!








If you find anything out in the meantime or if anyone else has any ideas please post! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
And please


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## bigcarm40 (Nov 15, 2007)

*Re: (SmoothCab)*

I have the same problem exactly. Sounds like it's coming from my driver side rear. Let me know what you find. I'm going to have it looked at myself by my mechanic in a few weeks.


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## luvaveedub (Jan 11, 2003)

*Re: (bigcarm40)*

I am thinking it might just be a messed up pad touching...but dunno for sure...doing my best to figure it out, cause it is hella annoying...


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## SmoothCab (Jul 6, 2003)

*Re: (luvaveedub)*

So I noticed my noise kinda went away, I'm half tempted to just shrug it off and forget it ever happened.







Probably a bad idea though.


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## luvaveedub (Jan 11, 2003)

*Re: (SmoothCab)*

I wish mine would just go away...


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## SmoothCab (Jul 6, 2003)

Eh, I'm an idiot, it's still making noise. Guess I have to find a lug key


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## VWFlames (Sep 14, 2003)

*Re: (SmoothCab)*

I hope someone can solve the problem for the reason of the squeak. My gf took her bug to the dealer to get it looked at and they said the rear rotors were just glazed and they supposable cleaned it, but it sit squeaks. Help!


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## luvaveedub (Jan 11, 2003)

*Re: (VWFlames)*

My mechanic was saying that the Wagner pads can tend to squeak because of the amount of metal in the pad or some jazz...lol. So when they get down a bit I will switch em over and let you guys know...


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## Old Dude GTI (Dec 25, 2007)

Usually, brakes squeak when applied not at rest. Are you sure you have plenty of pad? Bonded brakes look good even though they're worn. Do your pads have a "squealer" that rubs when worn? Does you rotor have excessive runout?


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## luvaveedub (Jan 11, 2003)

*Re: (Old Dude GTI)*

The rotors have a slight ridge along them, but I have seen WAY worse...and from what I understand (not a big brake man.lol) the pads actually skim the pad all the time, so a ridge on a rotor or an uneven pad can cause the squeaking? Is this true...I have no idea if the pads themselves have a "squealer"...I picked the car up 6 wks ago, brakes were apparently done prior to the cert. then....


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## Old Dude GTI (Dec 25, 2007)

I've seen where you replace just the pads and get a squeak but not when off the brake. Try filing a chamfer on the top and bottom of the pads. If it goes away it's the rotors. Could be the caliber is sticking?


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## luvaveedub (Jan 11, 2003)

*Re: (Old Dude GTI)*

True...I will have to give it a shot! Thanks! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## DjOneShoe (Feb 3, 2003)

*Re: (luvaveedub)*

glad to see i'm not the only one, my left front is squeaking like crazy and goes away when i lightly apply the breaks, i was thinking maybe it was the bearings (i'm probably way off) needed to be lubed, i've been having alot of trouble with my breaks in the past year, this is my 3rd set due to "warping" i wish i knew what the problem was...


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## Old Dude GTI (Dec 25, 2007)

Light squeaking when you apply is from the pad hitting the ridge on the rotor or just plain vibration. Warped rotors shouldn't do it.


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## limapolo (Oct 18, 2003)

*Re: (Old Dude GTI)*

I'm having the same problem... dealership calls it "campaneando" (spanish word to describe the action of the movement of bells) they told me the only way to fix this is to (I didn't understood very well) thigh the brakepads and put a "pin" that holds it in its place...








tomorrow I will be picking my car from the dealership, will try to get a detailed explanation on how to solve this...


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## luvaveedub (Jan 11, 2003)

*Re: (Old Dude GTI)*

Well from what I understand with brakes...which is little. Is that the Pad lightly skims the Rotor all the time...so that when applied it gets maxmimal force...if the rotor has a bend in it it will squeak due to contact with the pad...but you would also feel that in the wheel upon braking because of the uneven surface! 
I dunno its craziness!!!


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## Old Dude GTI (Dec 25, 2007)

They used to have the pads drag a little on the rotors but they stopped doing that some time ago because it wastes energy. Now they have fast take-up designs. They don't touch - or they shouldn't. Sticking calibers are the major cause of dragging. If your rotors are warped you woul feel pulsating in the brake pedal. Squeaking on light pedal application are usually caused by the pads vibrating - you need the backing stuff, or there are ridges worn into the rotors from normal use. Using high-performance pads that are harder or are metal impregnated, as many here use, just accelerates the wear. Chamfering the pads before installation - that is, filing a 45 angle on the edge of the pads at the top and bottom, will eliminate the noise but it's best to replace the rotors instead.


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## turbo_freak (Apr 22, 2008)

You say the small used car lot installed new pads and rotors? I would be willing to bet that they used cheap stuff and never greased the brakes when installing the new pads. When I say greased I mean using Sil-glyde on the outer edges of the pads and were the pads meet the piston. One thing I noticed is if you are swapping out pads and the rotors are "avg. or questionable" then change the pads and rotors or you will get the squeal. I just changed the rear pads on my benz (rotors seemed fine) but I would get a horrible squeal every once in a while, replaced the rear rotors and the squeal went away.


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## limapolo (Oct 18, 2003)

*Re: (turbo_freak)*

ok... so this is what happened, I'm using akebono ceramic pads, this have a different "sitting" position in the caliper which is a FSIII that doesn't have a pressure regulator, so ducktaped the ends of the pads and used some white silicone on the caliper ends... should fix the problem until my big brake kit with new calipers arrive...!


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## luvaveedub (Jan 11, 2003)

*Re: (limapolo)*

hmmm any pics...??? I am finally picking up my new summer wheels and don't want to be rocking a squeal...lol. Going to be taking them apart tomorrow... http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## limapolo (Oct 18, 2003)

*Re: (luvaveedub)*

this is what I did...








this only applied to FS3 calipers, 1.8T/VR6 shouldn't have this problem... 
*this is a temporary fix*


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## 1998 GTI Vr6 4$ale (Apr 28, 2008)

*Re: MKIV: Annoying squeak from front brake? (luvaveedub)*

I have the same prob with my 98 GTI. I just had the brakes (rear)replaced today, and what do you know the problem remains. The noise seems to be coming from the rear driver side. Mechanic told me I need to replace my bearing, could this be why it sqweeckkkkss!. I hope to get rid of this annoying noise..


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