Did a search and concluded that I may need a brake pad "inspection" all around.

But was wondering if anybody else had more specific info:

Every morning for past 2 months, I hear a high pitch squeal when braking "cold". I only hear it at the first 3 stop signs in my 20mph subdivison. Once I warm the pads up at 40 - 0mph stop on my county HWY, it goes away until next morning.

It's loud enough to be embarrasing at those first 3 stop signs. My dealer gave me the 30K service/inspection and said I had 50% front and 75% rear pad wear. 4 months later now have 34K on car.


Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Check them again. It's possible that your wear indicator is telling you that the pads are down far enough now that they need to be changed.

 

Are they stock brake pads? I never had the stock pads squeal, but other pads do.

If there is still plenty of pad left, the other thing to check would be the shims. Make sure they are properly installed, and dab a bit of high temp anti-seize between the shims and the [edit] pad (and between the two shims on the inside of the fronts.

 

between the shims and the rotor? ??? I think you mean behind the pads. Permatex has several special silicone goops for this - antiseize has never worked for me; as a fair the amount of material is needed to damp the mechanical vibration of pads in the caliper, and AS squeezes out. I have made terrific shims out of a beer can - I cut the top and bottom out, slice it, and flatten it - I trace the outline with a Sharpie pen, and cut it with metal shears.

Vipe: I thought wear indicators made noise whether the car was cold or warm. ?

I too have found that aftermarket pads are squeal machines - the mfrs go to great lengths to avoid squeal in their OE setups, since it drives everyone nuts.

I would try some hard braking several times over a short interval - you may have glazing on the rotors and/or pads, and some heat might burn it off. If not, replace the pads, ensure the shims are in place, and have the rotors re-surfaced with a honing device.

 

The rotors may have a layer of brake pad residue crap that reacts with the humidity... and rusts. Check your rotors tomorrow morning to see if they have browned up, or are particularly coarse or discolored.

 

In general, this is correct, but not knowing exactly what's he's got going with his set-up, I figured it was a possibility worth mentioning.

 

oops. I meant between the shims and the pad.