I just had the squeeling brakes replaced for free from the dealer I just bought this car from yesterday. Before I brought it in, it stopped on a dime, but just made a slight squeel everytime I came to a stop from low speed. They told me they turned the rotors and replaced the front brake pads. Well when I drove it off the lot, I noticed that the pedal went from rock hard before to being somewhat mushy. When I press the pedal, it goes down about 1/4 of the way before the pads engage the rotors to slow the car down, and I need to press noticeably harder than before. I brought the car in today thinking it was air in the line, but they tell me the pads just need to break in. My question: is there a break in period on stock pads? Or should I just bleed and refill the lines myself? Thanks in advance.

 

It is most likely air in the lines.

IIRC, my brakes grabbed much harder when new vs. when broken in.

 

They did not open your brake bleeder screws(at least i hope so) to change your brakes, so air in the lines is not what causing it. Your pads just needs to bed in(which is something they should have done before given it back to you).

 

I had the same thing happen and it was air in the lines, even though I didnt open the bleeder screws. I bled the lines and all was good. Its weird cause this just happened to me on monday.

 

Thanks for the replies. I've put about 50 miles on the car since picking it up yesterday, so how long does it take to bed in the pads? I've done both soft and hard stops with the brakes.

 

i would bleed the brakes even if they didnt open the bleeders. It should be done every brake Job anyway