[Fixer]

The brakes on my 06 coupe GT are squealing when I come to a slow stop. Isn't there an indicator light on the dash to alert me if the brakes need to be replaced? Is this noise an indication of wear or do they just need to be adjusted?

-J

 

[paradon]

On my QP, there is only a brake pad sensor on the front drivers side pad. Although the pads should wear evenly, it is possible that one or one set has worn faster than the others. Last time I took my car into the dealership they told me that my rear pads needed replacing and I though that I was being misled since I had just checked the passenger side rear and there was still 30% wear left. When I got home I checked the drivers side and sure enough one pad was down to about 10%.

A little bit of squeal is not unusual but it is probably best to check if the pads haven't been changed for a while.

 

[Vincenzo]

brake squeal is (unfortunately) normal for this car. Do a visual check on brake pad material & my guess is that you're OK. I swapped out the factory pads for a set from Formula Dynamics and the squeal only occurs once in a blue moon. It's also a very easy DIY project and provides great 'bonding' time with her.

 

[hoks]

Can it be due to brake dust?

 

[beth8857]

I brought this issue up @ the San Diego Mas shop. They looked @ them with the 16k check out - all looks good. I was told that is normal in stop & go traffic and the car likes the brakes to "be hot".

 

[FormulaDynamics]

The factory sensors are notorious for not properly identifying brake pad wear. We suggest using the old fashion method of checking them. We've heard from many customers who have gone metal to metal with no indication from the factory sensors with factory pads.

The Maserati pads are known to squeal and yes... they do perform much better when hot.

 

[GTkorea]

man, don't even get me started on the brake squeak. brake squeak drives me crazy - my GranTurismo started squeaking after one month into ownership. it usually squeaks only about 50% of the time... especially when it's really dry outside. i took it to the dealer and the service center and they basically said, "too bad". they said to break it in a bit more. it's been almost a year now and the squeak is the same, if not worse. it's about time i go back and give them sh*t until they replace it. my lexus GS430 also had a slight sqeaking problem and the service center replaced my brake rotors and pads for free.

 

[paradon]

The factory sensors are notorious for not properly identifying brake pad wear. We suggest using the old fashion method of checking them. We've heard from many customers who have gone metal to metal with no indication from the factory sensors with factory pads.

The Maserati pads are known to squeal and yes... they do perform much better when hot.

In the best case the wear sensor won't activate until the pad is really worn anyways since it sits really low. Even then, there is 1 sensor and 8 pads on the car. If there is any uneven wear it is very possible that you would completely wear out a pad before the sensor was activated.

 

[gobuck]

brake squeal noise

2006 quatroporte - this brake noise problem drives me nuts. asked the san diego dealer service center about it at 10K m. and was told it was normal. can't believe it, but there must be some solution to this problem.

 

[milanojess]

if the brake were always used lightly all the time since new, they tend to squeal. if you do a few 40-0 panic brakes, that usually get rid of the squeals.

 

[stewmims]

I thought brake squeal came from the pads vibrating?

 

[GTkorea]

if the brake were always used lightly all the time since new, they tend to squeal. if you do a few 40-0 panic brakes, that usually get rid of the squeals.

for good or just for that ride?

 

[milanojess]

if your driving is with light braking mostly, which caused the squeal at first, then it will eventually come back. YMMV on how long it will last after the hard braking exercises. My experience is that if you follow a full brake pad brake in exercises till brakes are hot, basically a few repeating heavy brake from 35->0, 40->0, 60->, till brakes are hot hot, then let them cool down (don't use parking brake til they are cool) That usually make it last for long time. This was especially true when I had semi metalics on the street.

 

[milanojess]

I thought brake squeal came from the pads vibrating?

I think it's like running your nails across the glass...

but running your finger across does not make that squealing noise. So by modifying the friction between the 2 materials, you can make them quiet... that's my theory...

 

[paradon]

Two common causes of squeal, back of pads against the piston or front of pads against the rotors.

Most pads have backing plates that limit squeal caused by movement against the pistons (or you can add copper paste yourself). The more common cause in my experience is due to an uneven rotor surface.

The Maser pads and their replacements tend to be very hard (ceramic or kevlar) and they can take a while to bed in against the rotor (especially the rear rotors).

You can accelerate the bed in process on new or newly turned rotors using the process described above, but if you just replaced pads without turning tthe rotors it is going to take a while for them to mate against the old surface.

Again my experience has been that the squeal is more pronounced at low speeds and low braking pressure as there is less force against the pads and they will vibrate more. If you are getting squeal at all speeds and as soon as you apply pressure then you may have a more serious problem with something actually rubbing against the rotor service.

 

[QP Sport]

To turn or not to turn

...but if you just replaced pads without turning tthe rotors it is going to take a while for them to mate against the old surface...

I have some new pads from Formula Dynamics for my QP but car is in winter storage and haven't replaced OEM pads yet. It looks like a pretty easy DIY even for a newbie like me. At least if all you have to do is swap pads.

But when I do, do I need to turn the rotors? How do I know if I need to? If I don't, besides taking a longer time to mate, is there any risk to rotors? I presume if they need to be turned that must be done by an "expert" in a shop?

 

[paradon]

Replacing the pads is a very simple job on the QP. Replacing the rotors isn't technically that much more difficult.

You will get a number of different opinions on whether to replace rotors or not. On my other cars I usually do the rotors at the same time since they are very inexpensive. I have not been able to find any aftermarket rotors for the QP so spending $2K to replace them every 15K pad change isn't my first choice. My general rule of thumb then is not to replace the rotors as long as there is no significant scoring, heat or hard spots, or excessive run-out. You need to clean the rotors properly before replacing the pads.

 

[QP Sport]

Scoring and cleaning

... My general rule of thumb then is not to replace the rotors as long as there is no significant scoring, heat or hard spots, or excessive run-out. You need to clean the rotors properly before replacing the pads.

Thanks. What is best way to clean the rotors? Is it obvious if there is significant scoring, heat or hard spots, or excessive run-out (Not sure what the latter refers to.)

 

[paradon]

This is a link to a google book which provides a good overview of disc brake systems.

http://books.google.ca/books?id=yUv...a=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPP5,M1

 

[gobuck]

6 months later and I've had it with the brake squeal in the 2006 Maserati Quattroporte. 5 months ago I completely changed the pads to the Formula Dynamics pads posted here but there was no improvement. It doesn't matter whether they are hot or not as some have posted here. It is a load squeal that is noticeable almost a block away. Recently went into the dealer office to ask about the problem and was told all 2006's squeal like this and there is nothing that can be done.

What a POS (expletive deleted) car!!!!