Brake Squeel

[Shaun Tucker]

I have that damn squeel too. I got my front pads and rotors changed a few months ago and they squeel like crazy!!



I thought it was the back brakes, so I got new pads and rotors on them. At first when I still heard the squeeling brakes I thought it was them just being worked in, but as the weeks go by, I realize that the squeeling is probably coming from the front passenger side.

 

[Joe B 4]

Same thing, low speeds, foot on or off the brake, parking brake used before hand or not. I also once again have large grooves in the front left brake rotor.

I may just give them the truck next week to drive it home or wherever as I am tired of the "we can not replicate it so we can not fix it". My buddy works there and believes me, but just does not know where to begin. I almost need witness statements to make Ford believe it happens as they tell my buddy the service manager that this is the only case they have heard of. Come on folks, take them noisy Tracs to the dealers so we can get some action!



By the way, I am thinking of ordering personalized plates, how does SQKYTRC sound or SQKTRAC?

 

[Richard L]

Joe,

there is not enough information to make a diagnosis of your problem without seeing or testing your vehicle.



Most squealing comes from the front brake pads, not the rear. Also, your Parking brake is separate from the rear brakes. The rear brakes are disc brakes and use calipers and brake pads similar to the front brakes. However the Parking brake is a small drum-style unit inside the hub of the rear brake rotor disc and do not share any mechanical parts except the rotor and the rear brakes don't really have that much stress or strain on them.



Since you said it was a new truck, take it back to the dealer and let them figure out what is wrong. I am suspecting that there maybe something loose or dragging in the parking brake assembly, or the rear disc/caliper assemblies? ....This is just assuming that the squeal is comming from the rear wheels, which is very unusual in itself?



My advise is that if you cannot diagnose your own brake problems, you probably should not be trying to fix it yourself. Anybody can slap in a new set of pads, but you really need to know how the parts work and interrelate to each other to know what causes the various brake problems, and how to fix them.



Too much automotive repairs are being done by simply replacing parts without really knowing if that is what is causing the problem. Dealerships are deemphisising the diagnostic aspects of automotive repairs to get quick fixes and get the customers money and get the vehicle out of the door. If it did not fix the problem, they will be back and you can charge them again for the labor and a new part.



...Rich

 

[Joe B 4]

I have been taking it to the dealership for repair just because it is under warranty, let them fix it. My buddy is a service manager there and they have been contacting Ford out of frustration on how to fix this as well. It is very tempermental and ths hard to diagnose.

I too have a pretty good background in mechanics as well as vehicle knowledge and also get advice from another friend that is a master mechanic looking at this, we both think it is the parking brake assembly as well in the rear.

Unfortunately the dealer will not budge until they hear it. Problem is once I drive over there brakes are warm and it will not do it. I have left it there for days and they still say they do not hear it. We are annoyed because very next day or stop it will do it again.

I do not replace parts just to replace them as I can use that money elsewhere but given the truck has lost a lot of its value, trade in is not worth it, I like all other aspects of the truck thus do not want to lemon law it, so for ~$500 I can upgrade as well as "hopfully" get rid of this dang annoying squeel.

 

[Joe B 4]

Well here's the latest, after this entire week at the shop, they finally heard it. They could not replicate it to diagnose it though. However after emails and calls to Ford, Ford came through and said there is no problem known with the brakes on these vehicles. They advised them to turn the rotors one more time. Upon doing so, the brake technician discovered large solid metal chunks in the pad itself. This is what I have been telling them it sounded like, metal dragging. Ford then authorized the pad replacement as well.

Drive home was fine, but what was funny is that when they brought it to me, Squueeeellllll. I kind of laughed and hope it was just cause the had just finished wasing her. We'll see.........

 

[Joe B 4]

Well they are still squeeeellling. Think I may pursue a lemon law lawyer on Monday, this is just getting ridiculous. We really like the other aspects of the Trac but these brakes are way annoying.

 

[Richard L]

Joe,

The lemon law does not apply to noisy brakes. As long as they stop the vehicle in a safe manner, the noise does not make the vehicle unsafe. or not operational.



It's funny that Ford said there was no issue with squeaking brakes on these vehicles since that has always been an issue since the first Sport Trac rolled off the assembly line back in 2000 ???



Ultimately you will probably have to just replace the brake pads yourself and make sure that you get good quality pads with isolation pads, and that you grease the caliper slides and pins.





...Rich

 

[Joe B 4]

We'll initial discussion with a lawyer and wonderful California laws, they think they can get this done with, especially since I also had the pedal assembly replaced due to soft feel and almost going through my garage door from the soft feel brakes. Anything is worth a try, a consumer should not have to replace crap parts after paying as much as we do for a vehicle with less than 9,000 miles on it, regardless if it is a safety issue or not. This Trac has spent way too much time at the dealer for a problem they can not seem to diagnose and Ford is once again in denail versus working with a consumer, a once brand loyal one.

I am going for it and not planning a return to Ford, unfortunatley. Hope they figure this out before the other manufacturers walk all over them.

 

[Joe B 4]

Well the local dealer has taken apart the parking brake assembly, as I had originally asked them to, and they found severe pitting in the rotors. Turns out the Trac had been on their lot for quite some time, they are also looking into tires as these have cracking around the tire thread. They plan to replace everything and hopefully this will solve the issue.

I have faith in it this time and have ordered a few more accesories and have the stereo system ready to be installed.

I hope it works, if not then the lawyer gets the service records to date and I get to go car shopping again.

 

[Gavin Allan]

Check you state's lemon law. Usually the defect has to "substantially impair the use, value, or safety" of the vehicle to qualify. Of course it is the judge or the arbitrator who determines whether the defect does substantially impair the use, value, or safety of the the vehicle.

 

[Joe B 4]

Yes it has been looked into and the lawyers see a case if I decide to pursue. Yesterday we picked it up from the shop, they replaced the complete rear parking brake assembly and parking brake drum. It was severly pitted according to them. So far it has been nice and quite as a good looking truck should be. We have our fingers crossed and think this may be it. They also replaced all 4 tires due to cracking I found on the sidewalls. Apparently this truck had been sitting on their lot for ~2 years.

We love the little truck in all aspects excpet the squeeling brakes, which do devalue the vehicle. Would you buy a new truck with brakes squeeling? If you were a manufacturer woudl you manufacter to deliver a new vehicle with brakes squeeling? This is basically the CA Lemon Laws point of view on this.

Well I order the vent visors and bugshiled as I think this is it and hopefully now we can commit to being part of the Sport Trac family. Stereo system should go bac in today if plans work out.