[10SecGG]

OMFG!!! This car is driving me crazy! These factory pads are maddening... Reminds me of my old 997 Porsche Turbo S. Anyone convert to a better/different pad for street driving to prevent this pad squeal? I'm not a track person... I'll be going high speeds, and canyon carving, as well as street driving. Any suggestions appreciated.

[Nicname]

4,000 miles in. It's gotten better but some days are worse than others...

[IcewaterPete]

If I drive and brake mine hard it clears it up for a while. If all I do is suburban grocery runs and there’s humidity in the air it’s a squeaker.

[mikeyymonster]

I wish Akebono came out with a set.

[10SecGG]

I've noticed if I use the brakes lightly, they squeal less... but if I brake hard, or even moderately; they squeal like a hog under a gate!!!

[(K)]

A common complaint with these huge brakes. Below is a snip from the manual. Not ideal but it gets the job done. They also feel better after a little bit of heat.

[10SecGG]

Originally Posted by (K)

A common complaint with these huge brakes. Below is a snip from the manual. Not ideal but it gets the job done. They also feel better after a little bit of heat.

I appreciate you posting that. I know on my old 997 TTS they were ceramic so they had to be bedded from time to time. My newer 991.2 GT3 as well as my 991.2 Turbo S NEVER made any noise, and they were ceramic as well.

This steel brakes on this car are perplexing to me, as I never thought thy'd make this kind of noise. I've already tried to bed them in a couple of times, but to me, they seem to get louder with aggressive stops.

[chris719]

Originally Posted by mikeyymonster

I wish Akebono came out with a set.

I asked Akebono and they said their tooling can’t support a pad shape as large as the front caliper requires.

[10SecGG]

Been reading a bit about options… not too much out there with regards to low noise and decent stopping power it seems. Still would like others opinions regarding a decent low noise option to the factory screamer pads.

[KevinM]

Yeah, the brake squeals come and go. No perfect solution exists as far as I know, but they are the best brakes on any of my M cars (by far).

[SEAT TIME RULES]

Originally Posted by 10SecGG

OMFG!!! This car is driving me crazy! These factory pads are maddening... Reminds me of my old 997 Porsche Turbo S. Anyone convert to a better/different pad for street driving to prevent this pad squeal? I'm not a track person... I'll be going high speeds, and canyon carving, as well as street driving. Any suggestions appreciated.

Its your rears...And as others have said one or two HARD stops will clear it up for a time.

I'm talking near or into the ABS type braking episodes..

[dls-m2c]

I have used this procedure with track pads for many years. I have tried it with my current M2C with moderate success. It needs to be completed every once in awhile. Sometimes I like the squealing brakes...especially on Saturday....it makes the kids think they are missing the school bus.

1. Read through the procedure and find a suitable, safe and legal area to perform the necessary stops.

2. BEFORE starting the break-in procedure, drive with gentle braking. Do not use brakes aggressively until completing the break-in procedure.

3. Make a series of 15 stops from 50 to 5-10 MPH. At the end of each stop, immediately accelerate to 50 again for the next stop. Run all stops continuously in one cycle. (For Track use you can replace the recommended stops with 10 stops from 60 to 5-10).

4. During the 50 (60) to 5-10 MPH series of stops, the exact speed is not critical. Accelerate to approximately 50 (60) and begin the braking cycle.

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD AND APPROXIMATE YOUR SPEED AT THE END OF EACH CYCLE.

5. A moderate braking effort is needed to properly bed-in the rotors and pads. A stopping force of approximately 0.8G’s, or just short of ABS intervention is the level of pedal effort you are trying to attain.

NOTE: BEFORE COMPLETING THE BREAK-IN, DO NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHILE THE PADS AND ROTORS ARE VERY HOT! THIS WILL TRANSFER PAD MATERIAL NON-UNIFORMLY ONTO THE ROTOR, CAUSING A VIBRATION DURING FUTURE USE.

If the break-in cannot be done or is deemed hazardous under the circumstances, then taking the opportunity to brake hard but not to the point of high temperatures being realized prior to break-in being completed, can eventually yield the same result. Estimated miles to accomplish this will vary with actual use but can be as much as or more than 600 miles.

[10SecGG]

Thanks, guys! I appreciate all the feedback, and information. I’ll give it a try.

[chris719]

My 2c is that you'll always have to deal with intermittent squealing with these stock pads. Any "fix" I have found is temporary. Some aftermarket pads could be even worse because they don't have the weights. It's hard to say, I think that some noise is just going to be unavoidable with the 2NH brakes.

[10SecGG]

Originally Posted by chris719

My 2c is that you'll always have to deal with intermittent squealing with these stock pads. Any "fix" I have found is temporary. Some aftermarket pads could be even worse because they don't have the weights. It's hard to say, I think that some noise is just going to be unavoidable with the 2NH brakes.

I'd rather have good brakes like on this car than quiet crappy brakes. Interestingly enough though, my wife's X3MC has KILLER brakes on it, and they're as quiet as a church mouse.

[Unkster]

Mine were squeaking all the time as well. finally got in a good track day with heavy breaking..... cleared it all up and has not returned.

[10SecGG]

Originally Posted by Unkster

Mine were squeaking all the time as well. finally got in a good track day with heavy breaking..... cleared it all up and has not returned.

On factory pads, and rotors?

[Unkster]

Yes, all factory. I have done zero mods thus far.

[10SecGG]

Originally Posted by Unkster

Yes, all factory. I have done zero mods thus far.

Thanks for the feedback.

[chris719]

Originally Posted by 10SecGG

I'd rather have good brakes like on this car than quiet crappy brakes. Interestingly enough though, my wife's X3MC has KILLER brakes on it, and they're as quiet as a church mouse.

I agree that the noise isn't an issue. BMW basically reused the F10 M5 front brakes on this car, so the caliper is a fairly old design and I think there have been improvements since.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by 10SecGG

OMFG!!! This car is driving me crazy! These factory pads are maddening... Reminds me of my old 997 Porsche Turbo S. Anyone convert to a better/different pad for street driving to prevent this pad squeal? I'm not a track person... I'll be going high speeds, and canyon carving, as well as street driving. Any suggestions appreciated.

I have zero sound from my CarboTech 1521's other than the click from the front when first backing up, or first going forward. They also have less dust than the factory pad, and are easier on rotors. Lastly, they have much less progressive bite (the braking force doesn't increase with no increase in pedal pressure), which I prefer.

Buy them direct from CarboTech.

They should be $485 or so.

You must lightly sand the surface of the rotor before installation, and do not bed them in, just drive lightly for the first 300 miles.

[10SecGG]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

I have zero sound from my CarboTech 1521's other than the click from the front when first backing up, or first going forward. They also have less dust than the factory pad, and are easier on rotors. Lastly, they have much less progressive bite (the braking force doesn't increase with no increase in pedal pressure), which I prefer.

Buy them direct from CarboTech.

They should be $485 or so.

You must lightly sand the surface of the rotor before installation, and do not bed them in, just drive lightly for the first 300 miles.

I appreciate that info!