Alright, my minivan has a very annoying braking feature: chirping brakes. It started when I took my van into a local garage to get my parking brake components replaced because they were all corroded to hell. So, they went in there and replaced the parking brake components as well as the rear pads and rotors. Well, after driving it away later that day, the van emitted and awful screeching sound that eventually turned into the chirping sound it has today.

After the brakes warm up, you can hear "chirp chirp chirp chirp" as you drive down the road. The chirping increases and decreases with speed as well. The van slows and stops just fine, but it's VERY annoying and quite embarrassing. When I press very lightly on the brakes, that chirping sound becomes a very high pitch chirping sound, and when I press firmly on the brakes, the chirping goes away, but only until I let off the brakes and it comes right back. I've taken it to the shop many times for them to look at, but they don't know what is wrong with it.

Any ideas?

 

e-brake shoes too tight? Poor quality rear pads and rotors?

 

Rear disks, I'm assuming based on the info. Both sides or only one side noisy????
- backing plate may have gotten bent during the replacement process, and could be rubbing the rotor. I have had that happen before.
- perhaps bearings are worn, allowing movement/rubbing.
- something loose inside the drum, perhaps a retainer pin has been pulled through the backing plate. That can happen easily enough during removal of a rotor.
- how are the e-brakes working? Does the sound get better or worse when they are lightly applied?
- are the rotors new or resurfaced?
- lug nuts tightened to spec????

 

Thanks for the replies guys. Yes, they are all disc brakes, no drums. To the best of my knowledge, it is coming from both sides. I know for sure it's coming from the driver's side, I still need to take a ride in the passenger seat to see if it's coming from that side as well. The rotors are new, but I don't know what brand they are. The pads are new, and the guy who ran the shop said they were the "best pads they had". I will check out the backing plate.

One thing I also noticed is that usually the brakes have to warm up a bit before the chirping starts, but it almost always chirps when rounding a corner, regardless of how long I've been driving. I don't know if it's a weight shift or what, but it's almost a sure bet. It'll chirp during the turn, but then go away when i get straighten out.

I have actuated the e-brake while driving (lightly, of course) to see if I could cause something, but nothing out of the ordinary seems to happen. Doesn't really get worse or better.

One thing I don't understand is how the sound totally goes away when firm braking is applied, and then it comes right back after I let off the pedal.

I will check all these things this weekend when I have some time this weekend. Thanks for all the ideas.

 

Cheap pads and poorly lubricated, this will cause it...

 

By poorly lubricated, do you mean the grease the goes against the back of the pads?

 

Yes, the grease for the calipers I think is what he means.

Oh, BTW, I was working as a service advisor for a Dodge dealer in the summer of '07. One of the most common issues we had with the recent model Caravans was the chirping brakes. Right or wrong, the solution most often prescribed was a "light turn and resurface" where they would turn the rotors and scuff the pads in order to get rid of the glazing that would show up.

You might try brake anti-squeal stuff too. I've had cars where, if the pads weren't stuck to the calipers with that stuff, they would chirp. Others had no problem.

 

Lots of info on troubleshooting brakes here: http://forum.chryslerminivan.net/sho...oubleshooting?

 

Alright, well, I did some brake work today to do a little investigation myself since I have lost all faith that the people at my local garage will find it. So, I took the wheels and calipers off and found that the parking brake shoes on the left side were heavily gouged. Here are some pictures.

http://postimage.org/image/75x19do27/
http://postimage.org/image/l0vbruihb/
http://postimage.org/image/wh1qpvwnj/

Also, this is what the backside of my left rear disc looks like. Doesn't look too out of the ordinary.

http://postimage.org/image/5gny1b8cv/

The left rear side, in my opinion, is the main squeaker. I don't know if the parking brake shoes can cause that. I don't imagine they're supposed to look like that. Any thoughts?

My right rear side looked a little better.

http://postimage.org/image/lwrt7as5r/
http://postimage.org/image/8vapv6t5b/

Though there was a little distortion at the bottom.

http://postimage.org/image/4xius1gy7/

This is the inside of my rear right disc. I noticed what looked like chatter marks on the inside of the disc, but it only went about halfway around, then it was clean. These are only 2 month old discs too. Could it have been the damage on the bottom part of the parking brake shoe? Any thoughts?

http://postimage.org/image/6zjc6aexb/

Also, discovered that my caliper piston was cracked. Can I replace just the piston, and not the whole caliper?

http://postimage.org/image/g4rp05ibz/

Also, I tried to remove the hub-and-bearing assy to get a better look at the parking brake setup but, true to this particular minivan's form, it's frozen on there and did not come off. Damn northern NY road salt has ruined the underside of this van. I have the Hayne's Manual and it says if it does not come off easily, don't use a slide hammer unless you plan on replacing it due to the possibility damaging the bearing. It says to use a manufacturer's special tool. Great. Already sounds expensive. Any ideas on how to remove it w/o damaging anything or, even if it means damaging it, how to remove it using something other than a slide hammer (since I don't have one)? I don't have a problem replacing it. I have a feeling this is going to be expensive.

I just swapped the discs to see if that would change anything and so far, I haven't heard many noises. Around turns, still have the same chirp, but only for a second. So far, it's quiet. But that's pretty typical after putting it back together. Give it a day or two, and then it's back to business as usual.