Why are my front brakes squealing on newly replaced brake pads?

Question

Today i replaced my front brake pads on a 2002 Saturn SL1.

After that, while driving down the road they will let out a constant low frequency squeal until i apply the brakes. When i apply brakes the squealing stops but will start again when i start to drive down the road.

Whats wrong? Are the pads themselves bad or did i replace them incorrectly somehow?

Answer 1

*edit*

oops - i misread this -

Are your retainer clips in place?  Your pads could be dragging on your rotors the entire way.  Did you bleed and flush and check their clearances by resetting the piston that pushes them out?  

If there's no gap in between them - they will make noise...that can lead to really fast wear - and overheating on your brakes.....I'd check them and see that you re-assembled them correctly....

Answer 2

I have replaced the pads and rotors on the exact same model of car and one will squeal and one wont. If you got alot of grease and grime on the rotors or pads when you were changing them that will cause the squeal, that's the reason to buy the can of brake cleaner when your buying the pads. Did you turn the old rotors or replace with new ones? At the very least you have to take emery cloth and break the glaze on your old rotors if they are flat and true. Finally there is a product I think its made by CRC that has like small particles of aluminum in it and comes in an aerosol can. You spray the pads and rotor down with this and it will stop the squeak. I have used it when all else failed.  

Answer 3

you might of forgot to transfer the brake pad retaining clips to the new pads from old pads, this will keep the pads seperated from the rotor and prevent squealing. The old pads may not of had the clips due to previous installer not using clips but with worn pads they may keep seperated due to wear on the pads.

Answer 4

check your dust shield behind your rotor sounds like you may have bent it a little bit.  also go  ahead and recheck your pads make sure they are installed correctly. you also should have brake grease on your pads. do not put it on the surface where it meets the rotor that would be dangerous. put it on the bracket where the pads sit in the bracket and also on the backside of the pad. and if your rotors are glazed over (they look like a mirror) then you need to have them resurfaced.

Answer 5

Many things can cause brake noise, some noise can be caused by incorrect rotor finish, if the pads are of a metallic content that requires a rough surface finish to break them in, then resurfacing the rotors may help correct the problem.

If the rotors were not cleaned , this can cause some unwanted noise, if the pads are of an inferior quality, and the vehicle was subjected to hard application of the brakes repeatedly, brake pads can glaze and cause a hardening of the pad material, which will cause noise.

It is more likely that if shims between the caliper piston and pad were not used, or brake pad silencing "glue" was omitted, the noise is from that.

Question? Did the brake pads come with shim silencers, or not?

Answer 6

Ok I am no mechanic but I have always been informed that if you or a dealer replaces your brakes and does not follow the process of "bleeding" them that it will cause the squealing, I also invite a auto mechanic to add on to my answer if I have not provided you with all of the instructions to fix your issue but the link that I have provided for you is very detailed should help :)