hi!

I bought my mini as MINI NEXT CPO little bit over a month ago with 15k miles on it, rotors were soo rusty and making noises while turning so they replaced all four when i took delivery but they are still same about half worn pads.

when i'm driving and brake to slow down/stop, it's making screeching noise (like metal on metal) only towards very last bit of of braking. (brakes pushed all the way then lift up just a bit) and it seems louder when hotter it gets..

I've been to the dealer TWICE about this issue, first time they returned the car saying there was nothing wrong with it, just sprayed what seemed like a lubricant all over the brakes. second time they kept the car over night and the mini mech said he took to the caliper off to see pad and rotors to see if anything is bedded into there-nothing. and told they also can not duplicate the noise i was complaining about....

mechanically there is nothing wrong i've been told. what do you think this might be?? it sounds like metal on metal screeching noise on slower speed,

can this sound come from uneven wear from new rotors and worn pads maybe?? help a fellow miniac out please!! THank you!

 

Brake pads make noise towards the end of their life to let you know it's about time to change. It is what it is, and is one of the reasons I think companies assuming their buyers are such idiots they need a ridiculous 1-time-use wear sensor to know. Get a light and depending on your wheels, you should be able to kneel down and get a peek at the pads through the spokes. If the pad surface is close to the thickness of the backing plate of the pad, it's time for new pads. Pads are cheap, and if your rotors are fairly new all you need are pads. If you've handy around the garage, or have a DIY mechanic friend, it's a super quick/easy job to change pads. Shops charge more than the job is worth, IMO, but it's your call on that one.

 

I second the recommendation. Replace the pads. If you cant spring for new pads keep bugging the dealer and call MINI.

Making noise when coming to a stop is unacceptable.

 

You're serious? I'm sorry gr8ful, but people who think like you are what's wrong with the sue-happy, no accountability society we have going right now.

Why exactly should he contact MINI or keep harassing the dealer? If they wanted to make money off him, they could have simply said "yup, pads are worn, here's how much for us to replace them". Instead, they said they couldn't reproduce the noise and saved him the cost. Why keep sticking it to them? Turning him away is the opposite of how a service department makes money.

Brake pads are a wearable item not covered by any warranty or guarantee. Period. If he did not see low brake pads or hear brake noise at the time of the sale and test drive, and did not negotiate with the sales associate to replace them as part of the sale, that's the end of their obligation to a wearable item like brake pads. I did the pads on my MINI a month after purchase. I was even within the dealers used car warranty period. Did I call and complain about having to put 30 minutes and $13-50 into an item that is routine maintenance? Hell no, it's not their fault or problem.

So anyway, pads are always going to go bad and if they're the factory pads at 15K miles, I have no doubt yours need the replacement now. It's not the dealers obligation to cover it, nor is it MINI's obligation to somehow accept fault for a wear-able item wearing. Absolutely absurd suggestion.

 

New rotors on worn pads....
Likely they are not bedded....
And if the old pads had tons of rust/scale from the old rusted rotors...might take a long time to get them to bed...aka, comform to the shape of the new rotors. That is why when rotors are chsnged, you replace the pads....

 

Thanks for your comments, the pads are what i'm thinking is wrong with the issue, it was not worn (at about 60% curently) enough for dealer to swap when i purchased, but was nice that they put in all new rotors when i took the car,

I think what ZippyNH said is plausible- i drove over 2000miles so far since, and im seeing uneven wear on rotors, visibly seeing about half of the pad left- should i replace it now? or can i wait an see alittle more if the pads get bedded?

 

You can get a pair of brake pads for under $20 if you just want something cheap for regular DD use. Just throw some new pads on now so you minimize the amount of miles you put with unevenly worn pads/rotors wearing against each other. The fact that the dealership's service department would even do new rotors without new pads and think that's ok would make me never take my car to them. That's very basic knowledge for any tech. On top of that, stock pads don't cost dirt at their prices, and the calipers are off already to do the rotors. it's literally NO extra labor. They're retarded for having done it that way, but you might be able to get away with just doing new pads now.

 

hanstaill...This just started happening with my brakes as well. It's the pads. While yes, it is a quick and easy fix, I'm a little annoyed at the fact that I was just at MINI of Manhattan and was told nothing about my front brakes. However, they did the rears....for free. Brakes are included in my warranty/maintenance coverage.

 

I suggest you install a new set of pads, the flush the brakes (needed every 2 years with dot4 fluid anyway) asap....before the new rotors wear to match the old pads...
Who knows what the old pads are anyway...could be a noisy "hot street/track pad", so a decent middle level ceramic pad will be fine for 90% of folks who do not track their car...and offer a fraction of the dust the oem pads make (they make HUGE AMOUNTS OF BLACK DUST)....