I have been runnin with the brake pad light on for a week or two. I started to notice some weird screeching sound from the rears recently. It occurs when I am stopping very slowly, or accelerating from stop. Sounds very much a like to parking brakes are not released completely or something;....

What is the easiest way to track down if the parking brakes are messed up and how to adjust them if they are indeed..

Thank you in advance!

 

...

Brake light on = brake pads shot

Brakes are squeeling.

Where is the mystery?


You need new brakes...

 

I do realize that I need to change em soon,, But they make some screeching noises when I am not even breaking tho.

 

Yup, disk brake pads ALWAYS touch the rotor. When brakes aren't applied they touch just a bit with very little pressure. BUT, when your pad material is gone you have the bare metal of the pad plate grinding a groove in your rotor, even if you don't touch the brakes.

You've been cutting a groove in your rotor.

If they won't cover rotor under maint 'cuase you've been driving with the light on, or if you're out of maint... Be aware changing the rotor and pads yourself is not difficult and much less $. If you've even slightly a 'shade tree mechanic'. I'd offer you to come to my place and teach ya but you shouldn't drive this far with them that shot already.

 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh
That is why....
Well, I will change the rears as soon as possible.. then the fronts.
I should be fine since I am not a complete noob ha
Thank you so much.

 

Great timing. Today I stopped by my local MINI shop to see a customers MINI. Please review the pics below. We think the OEM left rear inside pad got stuck, then began to eat away at the pad, then rotor, then the rotor separated from the hub. The rotor was stuck to the inside pad and the hub was spinning inside it.
All of this with only 40K. It is not the norm! However it's a warning to the rest of us to inspect anything out of the norm. It takes just a few mins with a flashlight to look at the rotors and see if one of them seems odd. It could save your life too. Had the same thing happen on the other side the warning light would have gone off. Remember the senors are on the front driver and rear passenger.

 

Omg that looks bad! So much rust too!

 

 

Unless you have a 2003 or early 2003 car, then there are no wear sensors.

 

That's right, all the more reason to look at them often.

 

My post was supposed to read "2002 or early 2003".

 

Mmm Salt...

 

Remember to coast at about 25mph to a stop sign and pull the Parking Brake one or two clicks to make sure the PB pad is wearing correctly and toe corrosion alleviated from the PB

 

happened to me a few weeks ago and the metal on the backing of the pad wore through my rotor cuz im short on cash and couldnt replace it, took it to my local mechanic and they said that the piston on the back right caliper was stuck closed, forcing the caliper and parking brake against the rotor, so $600 later its fixed(only cuz i chose to go with higher grade ebc stuff)...dont worry its an easy fix if youve got a day to do it and some spare cash(which most people dont these days)

 

one might think that, but the other side was not great, but was much better and still working as designed. Like I said this was not a normal find, but not the 1st on NAM, but I hope one of the last. To check that back pad, take a min while rotating the tires and look with a light at the back pad and back side of rotor to make sure you don't end up with a big bill for brake repair that could have been avoided.

In addition to the bad pad and rotor, the back of the MINI is covered with what some would call "rail dust" (google it) which will cost the owner even more to deal with.