Hi all,

not sure if this is the right place to post this, but i'm hoping someone can help me...

i noticed today that my car is making a squealing noise from my right front wheel area every time i take a sharp right turn. does anyone know what might be causing this?

btw, it's a 2005 w/ 49k miles.
haven't had my brake service yet...
could that have something to do w/ it?

any help is greatly appreciated, thanks!

-james

 

check your brakes/caliper and wheel hub/bearing

 

Thanks for the response

i visited the shop and my mechanic said it's the brake pads...
but when i turn and hit the brakes, the noise goes away.

is it still possible that it's the brake pads making the noise?
or do you think i should get a second opinion?

Thanks

 

If you're worn down to the wear indicator tab, you could get a grinding noise. Usually it happens when you apply the brakes, not when you're turning. The wear indicator tab doesn't make a squeal sound. Squealing can come from not having enough sil-glyde between your pad and the backing plate. If you have never had it serviced, I doubt that this is your problem.

If it is not squealing when you apply the brakes, I'd start looking at your wheel bearing. Here's what I would do:

Go for a ride on the highway and get the car warmed up. Get it to squeal a few times, then stop the car and feel the wheels & rotors. If you notice that your right front wheel and rotor are noticeably hotter than your left front wheel, your bearings probably need to be replaced.

If you suspect that you have a brake caliper that is sticking, you should remove the pins on your brake caliper and regrease them. A stuck brake caliper can make a noise (more like a grinding or wiping noise, not a squealing) and can also make your wheel and rotor hot.

If they're about the same temp, remove your tire and inspect your break pads. I doubt that's your problem, but it doesn't hurt to check.