Squeaking Brakes?

[Kimmax]

Hi friends,

anyone else got squeaky brakes? Mine started being squeaky 3-4 weeks after pickup and I figured they're being broken in plus bad wet weather etc.

However they didn't really stop. Now about 3.5k kilometers in and being through a few high-speed cycles too I start wondering..

Mechanic already 'looked at them' and did a brake test, said nothing wrong.

Car does indeed have brake power and doesn't feel wrong.

Do I have to live with another Lotus quirk?

 

[Mistral]

Hi friends,

anyone else got squeaky brakes? Mine started being squeaky 3-4 weeks after pickup and I figured they're being broken in plus bad wet weather etc.

However they didn't really stop. Now about 3.5k kilometers in and being through a few high-speed cycles too I start wondering..

Mechanic already 'looked at them' and did a brake test, said nothing wrong.

Car does indeed have brake power and doesn't feel wrong.

Do I have to live with another Lotus quirk?

Years ago it was often the pads vibrating against the caliper pistons, solved by inserting a thin shim the same size as the pad between them. I would think that the cause of your squealing is glazed pads, probably caused by overheating, where the pads haven't cooled down sufficiently between applications.

 

[Kimmax]

Years ago it was often the pads vibrating against the caliper pistons, solved by inserting a thin shim the same size as the pad between them. I would think that the cause of your squealing is glazed pads, probably caused by overheating, where the pads haven't cooled down sufficiently between applications.

I'd rule out overheated pads, mostly low-speed although long-distance city traffic.
High speed only with sufficient cool-down kilometers planned, no track use...
I'll see how it goes and might get them pulled and carefully checked to be sure

 

[VL3X]

How do your rotors look? Do they appear to be wearing evenly?

 

[FrenchBred]

A few of my recent cars with big diameter grooved discs squeaked at very low speed under low pressure braking (usually when pulling onto my drive). I never track or abuse on road so I put it down to not working them hard enough on my daily drive! A few heavy uses soon shuts them up.

Hopefully it's something as simple as this in your case...?

 

[Kimmax]

A few of my recent cars with big diameter grooved discs squeaked at very low speed under low pressure braking (usually when pulling onto my drive). I never track or abuse on road so I put it down to not working them hard enough on my daily drive! A few heavy uses soon shuts them up.

Hopefully it's something as simple as this in your case...?

Sounds familiar. Seems the weather is going to be better the next few days, sounds like an excuse for a fun time to me?

 

[Kimmax]

How do your rotors look? Do they appear to be wearing evenly?

They look better now, a few weeks ago I wasn't so sure. I'll take some pics in daylight and share them here if someone more experienced wants to look at them

 

[dgrace]

Speaking of brakes, if possible, could you measure the min clearance from the front calipers to the wheel barrel? I'm curious how much space there is to go to a smaller diameter wheel.

 

[Kimmax]

Here are some pictures. Not sure what to think about them. As a novice I'd guess rear left doesn't look quite right..

Rear left:

Rear right:

Front right:

Front left (Weird line?)

 

[Kimmax]

Speaking of brakes, if possible, could you measure the min clearance from the front calipers to the wheel barrel? I'm curious how much space there is to go to a smaller diameter wheel.

Sry didn't see early enough. Will measure tomorrow

 

[Pro-Eng]

Here are some pictures. Not sure what to think about them. As a novice I'd guess rear left doesn't look quite right..

Rear left:
View attachment 23312
View attachment 23313

Rear right:
View attachment 23314View attachment 23315
Front right:
View attachment 23316View attachment 23317
Front left (Weird line?)
View attachment 23318
View attachment 23319

I would suggest getting these checked out at the Dealer. There looks to be the outline of a pad (dogleg shape) on one disc indicating the pad has been seized on at some point. That is probably the source of some vibration and could generate squeal. One possible explanation for the wierd line could be where the machining operation has failed to clean up the casting. Check to see if this line is below the main surface of the disc I.e. a depression. If it is, I would strongly advise you take it to a Dealer immediately as it’s a casting or set-up defect. Depending how deep it is, it could affect the structural integrity of the disc. I’m not (wasn’t) a forum member, just concerned on seeing these images. Best of luck, hope it’s ok.

 

[VL3X]

Yeah, get those checked out. They aren't wearing evenly and seems to be a common problem here. You can tell by those thick stripes on the rotor. It seems the pads weren't properly bedded, therefore 100% of the pad isn't grabbing onto the rotor. I'm not sure if proper pad bedding is something the factory normally does, part of PDI, or something customers should be instructed to do on their own.

Also, is your e-brake caliper just really dirty or is it actually unfinished? I thought they were all powder coated/painted gloss black.

 

[Kimmax]

Thanks guys. I'll pay the dealer a visit tomorrow.

I can't really believe I did something wrong bedding them, first 800km was mostly on the highway. Various speeds, nothing crazy, since the car wasn't broken in then either..

Also, is your e-brake caliper just really dirty or is it actually unfinished?

Dirty. Weather sucks. I'll wash it tomorrow, promise

 

[Kimmax]

I would suggest getting these checked out at the Dealer. There looks to be the outline of a pad (dogleg shape) on one disc indicating the pad has been seized on at some point. That is probably the source of some vibration and could generate squeal. One possible explanation for the wierd line could be where the machining operation has failed to clean up the casting. Check to see if this line is below the main surface of the disc I.e. a depression. If it is, I would strongly advise you take it to a Dealer immediately as it’s a casting or set-up defect. Depending how deep it is, it could affect the structural integrity of the disc. I’m not (wasn’t) a forum member, just concerned on seeing these images. Best of luck, hope it’s ok.

Thank you for registering to warn me. Welcome to the forum ♥

 

[Kimmax]

Bad day... for my ego
Headed to the shop, mechanic promptly meets me outside. I point to the rear right.... and it's gone. Nothing. Looks like new. I'm probably booked as the "young bloke who spends too much time on that forum" haha

Don't quite understand it, as the shop is halfway of what I usually drive and I took the photos yesterday after said trip home. Car went at least 20km every day for the last two weeks, with some fun days in between.

Whatever. Rotors look fine now and I have nothing to worry about. Sorry for the drama.

Safe travels

 

[Kimmax]

I would suggest getting these checked out at the Dealer. There looks to be the outline of a pad (dogleg shape) on one disc indicating the pad has been seized on at some point. That is probably the source of some vibration and could generate squeal. One possible explanation for the wierd line could be where the machining operation has failed to clean up the casting. Check to see if this line is below the main surface of the disc I.e. a depression. If it is, I would strongly advise you take it to a Dealer immediately as it’s a casting or set-up defect. Depending how deep it is, it could affect the structural integrity of the disc. I’m not (wasn’t) a forum member, just concerned on seeing these images. Best of luck, hope it’s ok.

Thinking about it the imprint is probably my fault. I unexpectedly rolled back entering the garage just before taking the pictures and hit the brakes, that's probably where it came from. Also gone now.

 

[Andrew P]

Hi friends,

anyone else got squeaky brakes? Mine started being squeaky 3-4 weeks after pickup and I figured they're being broken in plus bad wet weather etc.

However they didn't really stop. Now about 3.5k kilometers in and being through a few high-speed cycles too I start wondering..

Mechanic already 'looked at them' and did a brake test, said nothing wrong.

Car does indeed have brake power and doesn't feel wrong.

Do I have to live with another Lotus quirk?

Mine have No squeaks at all & been completely normal in my 1,500 miles so far

 

[Mikey]

Here are some pictures. Not sure what to think about them. As a novice I'd guess rear left doesn't look quite right..

Rear left:
View attachment 23312
View attachment 23313

Rear right:
View attachment 23314View attachment 23315
Front right:
View attachment 23316View attachment 23317
Front left (Weird line?)
View attachment 23318
View attachment 23319

Ok, I had same problem from car collection few weeks back. Only a slight annoying squeak at v low speed rollling up to traffic lights etc. After washing car I put it away with wet discs. When I next pulled car out of garage front pads were stuck to rusty disc and a mighty bang ensured. I then found the front edge of pads have chipped off. Went back into Lotus yesterday for new pads and discs under warranty. Dealer said it was 2nd set they had replaced. He said its something to do with when car was orriginally tested by Lotus exuberrant braking causes pads not to bed properly, shards get caught between pad and discs, hence the replacment. See my pics, look very similar to yours.