AOL Autos Repair Blog

Dear Tom,
I own a 2006 Malibu LS. I recently had the front and rear rotors and pads replaced, as well as the rear calipers. About 750 miles later the brakes started squealing (very pronounced). The rotors cost $46-52 each; the pads cost $50 each; and the calipers were $79 each. I brought the car back to shop once, and they 'cleaned the brakes up.' Brakes were quiet for only two days, and started squealing again. Any solutions?
- Lincoln, NE

Answer:
Brake squeal is the result of a high-pitched vibration of the brake pads. Either the pad anti-rattle clips are worn, or were not re-installed, or the pad insulator shims were not re-installed at the time of the brake job. Get it back into the shop and have these checked. Once you stop the vibration, you stop the squeal!!
Tom

ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) uses wheel speed sensors, a hydraulic control unit, and a computerized electronic control module, which is the "brain" of the system. When the brake pedal is applied, the electronic control module monitors the speed of the wheels through the wheel speed sensors. If the control module detects that one or more wheels are about to lock up, the module signals the hydraulic unit to control hydraulic pressure to that wheel or wheels. This varying of pressure is much like "pumping" the brake; only with the ABS system, the wheel that is locking up (causing a potential loss of control) is the only one being controlled, while the rest of the wheels are free to roll. This maximizes vehicle steerability.