Squeaky GTA

[Hackney]

Had the most annoying squeak in the car recently.
It started a while ago and is intermittent.

It started just after I had a puncture so I've tried running without the spare in the well to discount that.
I've had the car in the garage and surprise surprise it didn't do it when they had the car.
First suspect was rear suspension mount - which did need replacing - which obviously cost.
Back in last week and the rear door panel was removed to fix some loose bits. And it's still there.

It sounds like it is behind me and seems to happen when when the weight shifts in the car, not necessarily on a bump.

It is really doing my head in, particularly when I drive 200 miles without a single squeak, stop for a coffee and then it's pretty much constant.

Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhh!

[crostonian]

Saloon or Sportwagon?

[crostonian]

It could be the rear brakes sticking, this usually translates into a squeak/whistle when cornering - to eliminate this, when the squeak is occuring apply the brakes, if the squeak goes then this is what your problem is.

[alfa pint]

^^^^ This. (without hearing it, it's difficult to be sure.) However, it does sound a lot like brake bad squeal.

Easy fix - take the offending wheel off. Remove the thin shims of metal that are on top of the pads. Coat retaining pins with copperease. Coat outer side of shims with copperease. Put back in, put wheel back on.

Should take you half an hour tops.

[Hackney]

It's a saloon.

Thanks for the tips.
If it was brake related though would that only occur under braking? That's not the case at the moment.

Appreciate it's difficult to diagnose over the Internet - and in person as you can imagine - just needed to vent.

[crostonian]

No, this particular problem usually occurs when there is weight shift at the back, ie gentle cornering. It's because the calipers are seized and the rear pad is actually skimming the disc as the load shifts at the rear of the car. When you apply the brakes the noise goes as the pad is being applied properly.

[velocemitch]

Sounds likely that, we have the same problem with a Honda CRV, as it gets hot the disc expands and squeeks against the pad. A gentle touch on the brakes will stop it but as soon as you lift off it starts again.

Mind you it could also be a wheel bearing behaving in much the same way.

[Hackney]

Just clarifying this again, as I've not had time to leave the car with a garage for them to investigate.
If it was a seized calliper would it be a longer squeal rather than the shirt squeak I'm getting?
It's literally a split second rather than a rubbing squealing sound.

[alfa pint]

It's almost certainly just the retaining pins / shims that hold the pads in place. Bit of copper ease on the back and top of the pads and on the pins will sort it. Doubt it's a sticky calliper if it's that short a squeal - you'd also have the car pulling to one side or the other, a smell of hot brake pad and a very very hot wheel / probable smoke coming from it.

[slickchange]

Gonna bring this one back from dead just to say, It's copperease on the back of the brake pads etc but its red rubber grease on the calliper sliders and pins. Copperease is a anti-seize compound not a lubricant (like the red rubber grease is).