Very slight squeak from wheels?

[Spinstorm]

I have noticed a very slight squeak from a wheel when driving. It seems to be noticeable when going medium speed - so not slow and by the time I’m going fast the road noise covers it. I can’t hear it if I’m listening to music. Or even with the windows closed.

It doesn’t seem to be happening on breaking. I am not sure which wheel it’s coming from either as it’s so quiet.

I’d typically think this kind of noise might be a stone stuck against the disc but it’s been like this for a couple of weeks now. It’s so quiet I forget it is there but I have finally remembered. I am also getting some break squeaking as well. I had the infamous squeal from the original pads but the replacement new ones haven’t been making any noise until now. I don’t know if it is related.

Could it be my discs getting low? Any thoughts? I’ve done 33k mikes in my FL RS3 2018.

 

[evil_scooby]

I had it with exhaust valve. Only when it opens or closes. Took me a while to figure it out but in end was simple

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[T-800]

I had a rotational squeak

Turned out to be a rear disc kissing a pad that at 10-20mph started a squeak.

New set of rear discs and the noise stopped.

 

[AudiNutta]

I had a rotational squeak

Turned out to be a rear disc kissing a pad that at 10-20mph started a squeak.

New set of rear discs and the noise stopped.

I really like the look of those Brembo discs and you got them for £90 from what I saw on the other thread?! Did they come with that coating on the bells?

 

[T-800]

I really like the look of those Brembo discs and you got them for £90 from what I saw on the other thread?! Did they come with that coating on the bells?

Yes standard coating for Brembo discs.

Got a full set on the wife’s Golf and no nasty rust after 2 years.

They’ll be coming off soon for the Reyland rears shall be going on.

 

[Dan_DJT]

Ive got the same coated Brembo discs that I will put on when I renew the front discs. They are only £33 each from Autodoc , I got mine from them.

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/brembo/7014355

 

[AudiNutta]

Yes standard coating for Brembo discs.

Got a full set on the wife’s Golf and no nasty rust after 2 years.

They’ll be coming off soon for the Reyland rears shall be going on.

That’s great, I will be changing to those for sure. I can’t afford the Reyland all around in one go, but my concern is with the rears being such light duty they will score and then you aren’t scoring and ruining £100 discs but £700.

With a pad change on the rear, it’s a no brainier to change to the Brembo discs £100 a time rather than put new pads on my scored OEM discs.

I had a few heavy stops a couple of weeks ago from 70mph The rear discs went purple... never ever seen them get heat in them like that before and the fronts looked pretty normal.

 

[Spinstorm]

So to summarise it seems like this is most likely brake related - I had the pads changed not long ago so maybe that means it is the discs?

I will probably call out the AA to check it out tomorrow in the day - to get an unbiased opinion before I decide what to do. One thing I can say is that any non-warranty work will not be sent to Audi as they charge way too much.

 

[AudiNutta]

So to summarise it seems like this is most likely brake related - I had the pads changed not long ago so maybe that means it is the discs?

I will probably call out the AA to check it out tomorrow in the day - to get an unbiased opinion before I decide what to do. One thing I can say is that any non-warranty work will not be sent to Audi as they charge way too much.

Audi aren’t always that bad if it comes under their fixed price servicing, plus discount they can still do on that...

Example is my independent wanted £230 for a gearbox oil change and that was cost of parts and 1 hours labour. Audi are usually £190 fixed price, got them down to £150... bargain... always worth checking both as the service parts cost that much if you walked in to buy genuine.

Always make sure they’re using genuine parts and can prove it by way of invoice, otherwise in my case my gearbox warranty would be stuffed if I went independent with no proof of OEM parts.

 

[Spinstorm]

Any other thoughts what the squeaking could be?

Wheel bearing? I would think after 34k miles that’s unlikely but I assume covered under warranty.

I can def feel and see the lip on the front discs so maybe its just break noise...

 

[AudiNutta]

Any other thoughts what the squeaking could be?

Wheel bearing? I would think after 34k miles that’s unlikely but I assume covered under warranty.

I can def feel and see the lip on the front discs so maybe its just break noise...

Wheel bearing is a rumbling noise more often than not.

Try and get a video up, we might be able to help more then Could be describing no end of noises.

 

[Spinstorm]

I had AA out yesterday to check the car. And the truth is I though it made a few tiny squeaks. But he didn’t hear anything. We had a good drive.

He then jacked up the car checked all four wheels and said everything was fine.

The pads were fine. The discs although slightly below the ridge he said had only a few mm worn on both sides and had lots of life left in them and he said they didn’t need changing.

He said most likely it was the pads and discs rubbing sometimes maybe due to going round corners or bumps in the road causing them to touch.

However it has me wondering if I even actually heard a problem. The fact he saw nothing wrong and heard nothing when I thought I heard squeaks makes me wonder if what I was actually hearing was something else entirely squeaking.... maybe the exhaust? Maybe a body panel? Maybe even wind noise....

I am going to keep my ears open but I do wonder if I was basically imagining a noise now. Lol.

 

[Dan_DJT]

I had AA out yesterday to check the car.

The pads were fine. The discs although slightly below the ridge he said had only a few mm worn on both sides and had lots of life left in them and he said they didn’t need changing.

He said most likely it was the pads and discs rubbing sometimes maybe due to going round corners or bumps in the road causing them to touch.

Did he take each wheel off to correctly determine if the pads were fine ??

Not sure what the discs being below the ridge means ?? A few mm worn on both sides of the discs is a lot of wear. Did he measure the discs thickness vs stated wear limit ??

Discs and pads rubbing on corners or bumps ? That sounds like bad advice to me.

I think a more professional inspection would be required.

 

[Spinstorm]

Did he take each wheel off to correctly determine if the pads were fine ??

Not sure what the discs being below the ridge means ?? A few mm worn on both sides of the discs is a lot of wear. Did he measure the discs thickness vs stated wear limit ??

Discs and pads rubbing on corners or bumps ? That sounds like bad advice to me.

I think a more professional inspection would be required.

The problem I see if trusting dealers to diagnose issues. They seem to only be interested in money and not service so I don’t trust them. I’d rather have the AA come and do a check.

He didn’t take off the wheels. He just jacked it up rotated the wheels and looked at them.

The noise is definitely back today and I tried to record the sound but I’m not sure anyone can hear it even in the video as there is road noise, wind noise and engine noise. If anyone with really amazing hearing can distinguish the squeaking then I’d be amazed.

It definitely sounds like a wheel noise as I drive faster it gets faster but not louder. So probably a good indicator of something knocking or touching more often as the wheel spins faster. But above maybe 40 I can’t hear anything although it could be the noise is drowned out by road noise at this speed.

 

[Spinstorm]

Ignore the video as I was holding the phone. It’s about the sound. You can hear squeaking. Sounds like crickets almost up until there is a beep which is my road angel.

Thoughts?

 

[Dan_DJT]

I can hear the squeek in the video. Hard to say what it is without seeing the car. Does it go if you very gently touch the brake pedal ?

Can you take some photos of the discs so we can see how worn they are ?? A lip on the discs can sometimes cause that sort of noise.

Where abouts are you based ?? I am happy to take a look if you like.

 

[Spinstorm]

When I break it stops; it is definitely a noise made when moving; whether that’s something rubbing against something else or not I don’t know.

I still don’t know which wheel it is - it is not noisy enough to figure out where it’s from. I am based in south London.

Both passenger side wheels which is the side I believe it’s coming from. If you want any close up photos let me know.

 

[Dan_DJT]

I am in the Midlands so not local to take a look. It does sound like its a brake pad/disc issue rather than a wheel bearing.

 

[Dan_DJT]

When I break it stops; it is definitely a noise made when moving; whether that’s something rubbing against something else or not I don’t know.

I still don’t know which wheel it is - it is not noisy enough to figure out where it’s from. I am based in south London.

Both passenger side wheels which is the side I believe it’s coming from. If you want any close up photos let me know.

From those pics I would say your discs are not worn out, there isnt a big lip on them. Ideally the inner surface needs checking, maybe its worn or corroded and causing the squeek noise.

 

[Dan_DJT]

As an example, here is a pic of a rear disc from my old Seat Leon, this is the inner face and it is badly worn and corroded yet the outside (not shown) didn't look too bad. As the AA man did not look at the inside face of your discs they could well be in this state.

 

[Spinstorm]

I need a quick idea of what’s just happened...

Maybe due to rain but I heard a bang which sounded like maybe something on the rear passenger brake was stuck. And now when I stopped it’s making a buzzing noise when stopped which I’ve never heard before from my breaks. It was squeaking quietly while driving after that bang.

I can’t tell what it is. What makes the brakes or at least the wheel area buzz when stopped?

 

[Spinstorm]

Update: turns out I have driven over a bolt. And that’s what all the noise was today.

I assume this is not the same issue as the squeaking noise as if it was the AA guy would have seen the bolt in the wheel.

The tech at Audi said he has looked at the breaks and the discs and they are all fine. So on the one hand glad the wheel is fixable. But concerned that the mystery of the squeak is not over.

 

[Spinstorm]

I can confirm that the squeak is still there - so that bolt was totally unrelated. Lucky it was repairable.

 

[HOGG]

Anti roll bar?

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[D0C]

If it stops when you touch the brakes then it must be something like the brakes/caliper slightly catching? The late T-800 had a similar problem.

 

[Spinstorm]

If it stops when you touch the brakes then it must be something like the brakes/caliper slightly catching? The late T-800 had a similar problem.

That is one of the suggestions the tech had at Audi and lines up with the AA guy. But it’s annoying... if it is them touching then what’s the solution? And why has it randomly started?

 

[Spinstorm]

Question: If someone had driven into my car slowly and hit the wheel could that impact cause squeaking?

I am at a loss here - the thing is even if that had happened surely there would have been some damage spotted by the AA and also by Audi when they removed the wheel to repair the puncture?

But if that did happen could the squeaking be suspension related?

 

[Spinstorm]

Any thoughts? Regarding this idea...

 

[Dan_DJT]

If someone hit your wheel it would be possible to bend the wheel bearing/hub but it would have to be a heavy hit and there would def be some damage to the wheel that would be easy to spot.

If its the rears that are squeeking then maybe just swap out the discs and pads. Mine were squeeking a little now and then and the disc surface was all scored. Put a new set of Brembo coated discs and pads (£100 the lot) on recently and brakes are much better now. Can feel the rears actually doing something. Its an easy job to swap the rears too as the caliper bracket doesnt need to come off.

 

[Hal Adams]

If it stops when you touch the brakes then it must be something like the brakes/caliper slightly catching? The late T-800 had a similar problem.

Squeal is the noise produced of the high frequency two solids produce when rubbing together. This you can ascertain from any academic paper available on the subject on the internet.

Brake pad rubbing on a steel disc will not produce a frequency high enough to warrant a squeal. It will have to be two similar metals rubbing without a deadener such as grease or a vibration compensator (the two 'can' things that should be on the rear of your front calipers).

At low wheel revs with the brakes lightly applied, the squeal is from the pad backing plates vibrating in their housings.

At high wheel revs with the brakes applied with some pressure, the squeal does not exist because the pressure of the pads on the discs is so great that it 'locks' the pad backing plate in its housing so that it cannot vibrate. Once the pressure eases off, it will get back to state where the pad is allowed to move in its housing thus produce the squeal - hence you can apply the brakes at speed without any sound but as the car coasts to stop the squeal is produced.

Now, car moving and no brakes applied producing squeal. This has to be two metals rubbing. Bearings getting dry is one cause. Another could well be the pads vibrating in their housing - this is ascertained if, by applying pressure to the pads the squeal stops. Without pressure on the pads, the caliper pistons are retracted, but only enough to ensure zero pressure is on the pads. Pistons do not fully retract otherwise there would be excessive pedal travel each time braking was called for. So, quite possibly there is a very slight rubbing on a pad by a disc causing said pad to vibrate in its housing.

Audi 'technicians' do not have an iota of a clue outside a fault that can be reset on a computer. Though any competent mechanic will know all this and where the design does not allow for a positive hold on a pad, a high melt grease will be applied on all metal parts of a pad where it sits or meets any metal part of a caliper or piston.

Look for some proper brake pad grease (copper grease is not the answer) and apply a fim on all the sliding edges of the back plate and make sure the reciprocal slides in the caliper are well coated (but not oozing...). pit some 3M pad anti squeal pads on the back plate where it meets the piston. This will give 99% success!

Some pads are just too loose in a caliper (or, is the caliper housing too big for the pad..?). I think this applies to the Audi oem and you may well find that an aftermarket pad has a more snug fit and will not vibrate.

 

[EVO855]

Squeal is the noise produced of the high frequency two solids produce when rubbing together. This you can ascertain from any academic paper available on the subject on the internet.

Brake pad rubbing on a steel disc will not produce a frequency high enough to warrant a squeal. It will have to be two similar metals rubbing without a deadener such as grease or a vibration compensator (the two 'can' things that should be on the rear of your front calipers).

At low wheel revs with the brakes lightly applied, the squeal is from the pad backing plates vibrating in their housings.

At high wheel revs with the brakes applied with some pressure, the squeal does not exist because the pressure of the pads on the discs is so great that it 'locks' the pad backing plate in its housing so that it cannot vibrate. Once the pressure eases off, it will get back to state where the pad is allowed to move in its housing thus produce the squeal - hence you can apply the brakes at speed without any sound but as the car coasts to stop the squeal is produced.

Now, car moving and no brakes applied producing squeal. This has to be two metals rubbing. Bearings getting dry is one cause. Another could well be the pads vibrating in their housing - this is ascertained if, by applying pressure to the pads the squeal stops. Without pressure on the pads, the caliper pistons are retracted, but only enough to ensure zero pressure is on the pads. Pistons do not fully retract otherwise there would be excessive pedal travel each time braking was called for. So, quite possibly there is a very slight rubbing on a pad by a disc causing said pad to vibrate in its housing.

Audi 'technicians' do not have an iota of a clue outside a fault that can be reset on a computer. Though any competent mechanic will know all this and where the design does not allow for a positive hold on a pad, a high melt grease will be applied on all metal parts of a pad where it sits or meets any metal part of a caliper or piston.

Look for some proper brake pad grease (copper grease is not the answer) and apply a fim on all the sliding edges of the back plate and make sure the reciprocal slides in the caliper are well coated (but not oozing...). pit some 3M pad anti squeal pads on the back plate where it meets the piston. This will give 99% success!

Some pads are just too loose in a caliper (or, is the caliper housing too big for the pad..?). I think this applies to the Audi oem and you may well find that an aftermarket pad has a more snug fit and will not vibrate.

I had the same problem on the rear of my RS, very slight squeak noise at low speed.

Stripped rears down cleaned everything, pads were a ‘nice’ fit in the calipers, not too loose as in they’d rattle.
Re-greased with ceratec then put back together, result ? Still squealed at low speed as the wheel rotated.

Stripped them back down fitted brand new anti squeal shims then greased everything up on the back plate / lugs that contacted the caliper body, result ? It still did the same noise.

Jacked the car up spun both rear wheels and discovered the passenger side disc was ‘kissing’ the pad in one place per revolution of said wheel.

Caliper was fine, piston moving as it should, guides were greased and the body was moving side ways as it should.

Decided to replace both rear discs, problem went away and I never had the squeak since.

It’s a friction material kissing the out of true disc issue.

 

[DW81]

I had the same problem on the rear of my RS, very slight squeak noise at low speed.

Stripped rears down cleaned everything, pads were a ‘nice’ fit in the calipers, not too loose as in they’d rattle.
Re-greased with ceratec then put back together, result ? Still squealed at low speed as the wheel rotated.

Stripped them back down fitted brand new anti squeal shims then greased everything up on the back plate / lugs that contacted the caliper body, result ? It still did the same noise.

Jacked the car up spun both rear wheels and discovered the passenger side disc was ‘kissing’ the pad in one place per revolution of said wheel.

Caliper was fine, piston moving as it should, guides were greased and the body was moving side ways as it should.

Decided to replace both rear discs, problem went away and I never had the squeak since.

It’s a friction material kissing the out of true disc issue.

That’s quite interesting so discs were out then.

I had this on my PFL rs. Fitted red stuffs and no squeal for almost 2 years and 30k mikes

 

[Spinstorm]

I do have the RS brake pad wheel squeak when breaking again - its not nearly as bad as it was before I had my front pads changed but it is back.

The rear squeaking which to be fair I would probably describe as sounding like a mouse occasionally going for a run (but there is a video of it above) only seems to happen between 20-35 mph; it stops when breaking and I can’t hear it at faster speeds. But that may equally be because there is more road noise however it certainly does not get louder with speed.

I assumed that the Audi dealer took the wheel off my car when they repaired the puncture but I don’t know that for a fact. I suppose they could repair a puncture on the car? In which case if they did he wouldn’t have removed the wheel to see if there was anything going on under it.

 

[Spinstorm]

I took my car to an Audi dealer. Of course there was no noise when we went for a drive. They looked at the rear brakes and said they are a bit dirty but nothing is wrong and there is no reason for squeaking and that really probably the only fix is changing the pads but they don’t need to be changed yet.

Yesterday the squeaking to me sounded louder than before and I now think it’s actually coming from the front wheel as it was loud enough to actually kind of hear it’s direction better.

I haven’t driven the car yet today so we will see how loud it is but I imagine I should stop by a dealer on Monday and get them to look at the front wheel too. If it gets louder I’d probably call the AA back out again but I’m not sure it is much louder. Just was a bit louder for some reason.

However I imagine the problem is the same. Of course the front wheels are the ones that have the squeaky brakes when breaking so I suppose some noise on rotation wouldn’t be out of place...

 

[ama212]

Hi, I have exactly the same problem, did you know from where it is coming, i had the noise after wheels balancing, when i wash the car the squeaking disappears but returns after a while, weird.
Thank you.

 

[8YARWY]

Hi, I have exactly the same problem, did you know from where it is coming, i had the noise after wheels balancing, when i wash the car the squeaking disappears but returns after a while, weird.
Thank you.

Check your rear brake pads.

I had a squeak develop that was related to the rear pad touching the disc.
Was noticeably worse when cornering.
The rear pads need to be free to slide in the ‘lugs’ area where they sit in the caliper.


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[ama212]

Break pads are almost new, Really no solution for this noise? If i leave it, will it will get worse or decrease? Spinstorm any feedback will be appreciated.
Thanks!