[Sunnyb11]

Hello all,

My 3 series brakes squeal like mad.

Any ideas what is causing it? Or what can be done to fix it?

[Billfitz]

Squealing is caused by metal to metal contact between the pads and the pad carriers. It's fixed with adequate lubrication of the contact areas. Proper lubrication is a necessity not only to eliminate squealing but also to insure that the pads won't stick in the carriers, reducing braking effectiveness and pad/rotor life.

[cfm56d7b]

Earlier comment by @Billfitz was very helpful.

Could you provide more information:

- How many miles does your vehicle have? Any prior brake service and what was done?
- When did squealing start?
- Under what conditions is squealing better or worse (for example after the rain)

[Sunnyb11]

thanks all.

on 45k miles. had new pads and discs fitted all round last week, this is when the squealing started. garage won't fix it and say its purely cosmetic noise.

[Billfitz]

Noise is not cosmetic, it's a warning signal, in this case signalling that they botched the job. You can find youtube videos on how to lubricate the pads and pad carriers.