Low speed brake squeal
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2017
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From: CONCORD CA.
Low speed brake squeal
I just had new brakes (J55 GM stock pads and rotors) installed last week on my 2014 Corvette. After a few days, it had an occasional brake squeal and low speeds (e.g. coming to a stop). If I was on them hard, no noise.
I took it back yesterday and they installed new front pads and rotors (under warranty). I picked it this morning and drove it around town for about 45 minutes than, it started with the same squealing again. Again, it only happens
on slow braking, right before coming to a complete stop. It doesn't do every time though, maybe 30-40%. I took it back again today. To me, the noise does not sound like the low wear pad indicator noise (especially being brand new brakes).
It sounds more like metal-metal. Any thoughts?
I took it back yesterday and they installed new front pads and rotors (under warranty). I picked it this morning and drove it around town for about 45 minutes than, it started with the same squealing again. Again, it only happens
on slow braking, right before coming to a complete stop. It doesn't do every time though, maybe 30-40%. I took it back again today. To me, the noise does not sound like the low wear pad indicator noise (especially being brand new brakes).
It sounds more like metal-metal. Any thoughts?
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Agree with the two above posters - ask if they bed the brakes.
Drifting
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My 2014 Z51 will occasionally do that, but only after extended periods of inactivity and only when using the brakes very lightly as I near a stop. Pushing on them a touch harder eliminates any squeal, and after driving a bit more they remain quiet. They are the original brakes and only have 15,000 easy miles on them. I suspect what you are experiencing is the same and completely normal.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,697
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From: CONCORD CA.
I stopped by the shop just a few minutes ago. It appears that there are a few types of pads offered. Mainly dealing with the carbon or ceramic content. After two attempts, they are hoping that pad #3 are the winners.
Will find our later today. If successful, I will post the winning number (part # that is).
Will find our later today. If successful, I will post the winning number (part # that is).
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We have a 2017 Z51 with the appropriate factory brakes. I can't recall ever having brake squeal on the car, but if I'm using the brakes too gently then the brakes can develop a pulsation (pad material transfers to the rotors and makes them uneven). Either way, some aggressive braking 60-10 mph a half dozen times will fix it.
If you take up autocrossing; that fixes the problem, is fun, and is good training.
Brake squeal is just a characteristic of high performance brakes, some do it more than others.
If you take up autocrossing; that fixes the problem, is fun, and is good training.
Brake squeal is just a characteristic of high performance brakes, some do it more than others.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,697
Likes: 890
From: CONCORD CA.
We have a 2017 Z51 with the appropriate factory brakes. I can't recall ever having brake squeal on the car, but if I'm using the brakes too gently then the brakes can develop a pulsation (pad material transfers to the rotors and makes them uneven). Either way, some aggressive braking 60-10 mph a half dozen times will fix it.
If you take up autocrossing; that fixes the problem, is fun, and is good training.
Brake squeal is just a characteristic of high performance brakes, some do it more than others.
If you take up autocrossing; that fixes the problem, is fun, and is good training.
Brake squeal is just a characteristic of high performance brakes, some do it more than others.
Again, new rotors and pads have been installed on all four corners yesterday. This now the 3rd set installed. At this point, if it is not the brakes, what else could it be? The shop that they bedded the brakes (this time). For now,
I'm going to drive it over the weekend and see if anything changes.
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All I can say is that I can't recall our 2017 Z51 stock brakes ever making any noise, but that is often a "feature" of the brakes on Z51 Corvettes. Our 2006 and 2009 did it a moderate amount, but the "abuse the brakes" (60-10 mph decel) technique would fix it, for a while.
A couple of years ago I heard a new C8 owner who was hopping mad because his new car had noisy brakes, the dealer has a pretty sharp Corvette Tech who had not been able to fix that after several tries.
You mentioned that your car has Brembo brakes, are they the same as the Brembos that come stock on the Z51?
When I see a Corvette come to a stop and hear a little brake squeal, I think to myself "that lucky guy has the good brakes!"
Best of luck in getting this straightened out.
A couple of years ago I heard a new C8 owner who was hopping mad because his new car had noisy brakes, the dealer has a pretty sharp Corvette Tech who had not been able to fix that after several tries.
You mentioned that your car has Brembo brakes, are they the same as the Brembos that come stock on the Z51?
When I see a Corvette come to a stop and hear a little brake squeal, I think to myself "that lucky guy has the good brakes!"
Best of luck in getting this straightened out.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,697
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From: CONCORD CA.
All I can say is that I can't recall our 2017 Z51 stock brakes ever making any noise, but that is often a "feature" of the brakes on Z51 Corvettes. Our 2006 and 2009 did it a moderate amount, but the "abuse the brakes" (60-10 mph decel) technique would fix it, for a while.
A couple of years ago I heard a new C8 owner who was hopping mad because his new car had noisy brakes, the dealer has a pretty sharp Corvette Tech who had not been able to fix that after several tries.
You mentioned that your car has Brembo brakes, are they the same as the Brembos that come stock on the Z51?
When I see a Corvette come to a stop and hear a little brake squeal, I think to myself "that lucky guy has the good brakes!"
Best of luck in getting this straightened out.
A couple of years ago I heard a new C8 owner who was hopping mad because his new car had noisy brakes, the dealer has a pretty sharp Corvette Tech who had not been able to fix that after several tries.
You mentioned that your car has Brembo brakes, are they the same as the Brembos that come stock on the Z51?
When I see a Corvette come to a stop and hear a little brake squeal, I think to myself "that lucky guy has the good brakes!"
Best of luck in getting this straightened out.
Yes, I do have the Z51 brake option. I've put 29k miles on this since Jan/2025 and the brakes never made a sound. With this now having its 3rd set of brakes (in the last week), and they've all had the same issue,
I have to believe that it's not pads or rotors. That would leave the calipers. Or maybe the mechanic is messing the install somehow. Back to the shop this morning.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2017
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From: CONCORD CA.
The brake 'squeal' is only at low speeds (normal slowing from speed), When it gets to 10mph, that's when the noise starts.
Squeal is not the best description. This sounds like what I would expect semi-metallic brakes to sound. It reminds of the brake sound on semi trailers.
The shop said that they did initially install semi's but did replace the standard Z51 set-up. Prior to this, the brakes never made a sound in 29k miles of driving.
Squeal is not the best description. This sounds like what I would expect semi-metallic brakes to sound. It reminds of the brake sound on semi trailers.
The shop said that they did initially install semi's but did replace the standard Z51 set-up. Prior to this, the brakes never made a sound in 29k miles of driving.
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fwiw:
my 2014 z51 a6 had 18700 when i bought it 2 years ago, now 25500 and has what you describe + i'm not sure on history of brakes!!
when i'm coming up to a red light i'm off the throttle, letting downshifts slow me down with light application of brakes where i sometimes hear the squeal!!
waiting just a bit, with more pressure on the pedal, eliminates the squeal!!
my 2014 z51 a6 had 18700 when i bought it 2 years ago, now 25500 and has what you describe + i'm not sure on history of brakes!!
when i'm coming up to a red light i'm off the throttle, letting downshifts slow me down with light application of brakes where i sometimes hear the squeal!!
waiting just a bit, with more pressure on the pedal, eliminates the squeal!!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,697
Likes: 890
From: CONCORD CA.
fwiw:
my 2014 z51 a6 had 18700 when i bought it 2 years ago, now 25500 and has what you describe + i'm not sure on history of brakes!!
when i'm coming up to a red light i'm off the throttle, letting downshifts slow me down with light application of brakes where i sometimes hear the squeal!!
waiting just a bit, with more pressure on the pedal, eliminates the squeal!!
my 2014 z51 a6 had 18700 when i bought it 2 years ago, now 25500 and has what you describe + i'm not sure on history of brakes!!
when i'm coming up to a red light i'm off the throttle, letting downshifts slow me down with light application of brakes where i sometimes hear the squeal!!
waiting just a bit, with more pressure on the pedal, eliminates the squeal!!
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At this point I have two questions for you:
1. How are you driving the car? If you're just putting around town at 35 mph or less and lightly braking, then your brake pads are "glazing". You said yourself if you're on the brakes hard, then no noise. You need to find a road where you can get up to 60-65 mph and brake HARD down to 5 mph. You need to do this until you can SMELL the brakes!! By doing this you are transferring brake pad material to the rotor, therefore giving both surfaces some "bite or grip".
2. Are you paying for new rotors and pads each of the four times you go back to the dealer?? I can't believe the dealer would provide all these parts free simply on the complaint of noise.
1. How are you driving the car? If you're just putting around town at 35 mph or less and lightly braking, then your brake pads are "glazing". You said yourself if you're on the brakes hard, then no noise. You need to find a road where you can get up to 60-65 mph and brake HARD down to 5 mph. You need to do this until you can SMELL the brakes!! By doing this you are transferring brake pad material to the rotor, therefore giving both surfaces some "bite or grip".
2. Are you paying for new rotors and pads each of the four times you go back to the dealer?? I can't believe the dealer would provide all these parts free simply on the complaint of noise.
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