Squeaky ceramic brakes? I have a fix.

[Alan S]

After about 1200 miles I noticed that the ceramic brakes on my M3 were getting really noisy. When applying light brake pressure like in stop and go traffic the pads felt like they wouldn't fully retract and the brakes would squeak for about 20 feet or so after stopping, until the pads were pushed away from the rotors. The noise has gotten progressively worse, to the point they were squeaking when applying light break pressure when turning into a driveway and sometimes when coming to a regular stop. On my car it was the front rotors making the noise. the rears are fine.

I know this isn't normal because I have an R8 with ceramic brakes and although they squeak sometimes it's not nearly as bad as the M3. Both brakes are made by Brembo.

Here's the fix.

1. Remove the front wheel.
2. Remove the pads from the calipers. There are two drift pins that you can knock out with a punch and hammer. They should come out easily. Drive the pins towards the car. Remove the wear sensor. It's a wire that is attached to one of the brakes pads on the driver's side only (US cars). You should be able to remove the wear sensor with your hands. You'll see two Torx 55 bolts that hold the caliper to the brake hub assembly. Remove both the Torx bolts and then the caliper should slide off of the disk. Make sure not to stress the brake line and never let the caliper hang by the brake line. Remove the brake pads and then put caliper back on the brake assembly with the top Torx bolt. Just make the Torx bolt finger tight so the caliper doesn't hang by the brake line.
3. Apply caliper grease to the brake pads. Apply a thin coating of brake caliper grease the back of the pads where the caliper pistons touch the pad. Using a stick apply some grease to the holes where the drift pins secure the pads. Apply some grease to the top and bottom sides of the pad where they come in contact with the brake caliper. Finally apply some grease where the retaining spring comes in contact with the middle side of the pad. Of course do not apply ANY grease to any brake friction areas - rotors or the friction material on the pad.
4. Reassembly. Insert the pads back into the rotors and insert and tighten both Torx 55 bolts.
5. Insert the drift pins from the back of the caliper and make sure you tap them in all of the way.
6. Reattach the pad wear sensor.
7. Put back on the wheel.
8. Before you drive the car press the brake pedal a few times to ensure that the pads are up against the rotors or you may have no brakes when you attempt to stop.

Problem solved!

[gthal]

Just a question... did you have to remove the caliper from rotor to do this? On the non-ceramic brakes, you pull the pins and remove the pads. No need to do anything with the caliper. I thought the ceramics were the same?

[Alan S]

Unlike the non ceramic brakes you have to take the caliper off of the rotor to remove the pads. The ceramic calipers have extra material at the middle of the pad that require removal of the caliper from the disk.

[j997tt]

Thanks for this information. I have CCBs with about 1k miles on them and they have been absolutely silent under all conditions thus far. I hope I don't have to employ your fix.... do you track your car? Has the noise become progressively worse - in other words were the brakes silent upon delivery and then became more noisy as you put on miles? Thanks.

[MatthewDavid]

Guys did you bed in your CCBs? I haven't done that yet.

[j997tt]

I have not followed any specific procedure FWIW.

[RingMeister01]

I get a rubbing noise while driving (not applying the brakes). I did one trackday and have 500 miles from new.

I'm hoping that it's just some build up between the pads and rotors.

Thoughts?

[Cloud9blue]

Don't the CCB have full floating rotors? They will squeal a bit from time to time.

[kbb]

Mine squeals all the time after 1500km or so. I got used to it

[MatthewDavid]

Is it like a groaning noise when starting out, no brakes applied? I noticed this the other day, as if the brake pad isn't releasing from the rotor or something. Doesn't happen every time. Wheels straight, during stop and go-ish (e.g. stop sign to stop). This is also when I get squeal, too.

Originally Posted by RingMeister01

I get a rubbing noise while driving (not applying the brakes). I did one trackday and have 500 miles from new.

I'm hoping that it's just some build up between the pads and rotors.

Thoughts?

[04RC51]

Originally Posted by MatthewDavid

Is it like a groaning noise when starting out, no brakes applied? I noticed this the other day, as if the brake pad isn't releasing from the rotor or something. Doesn't happen every time. Wheels straight, during stop and go-ish (e.g. stop sign to stop). This is also when I get squeal, too.

This happens to me all the time. I just ignore it.

[MatthewDavid]

Originally Posted by 04RC51

This happens to me all the time. I just ignore it.

Haha is that what's making the noise? I had momentary flashbacks of a bad joint or something. These little noises don't bother me so long as they're not an indication something is wrong and since I'm new to it and listening carefully I question everything. Story of my life haha

[Roychimac]

Ya mine are annoyingly squeaky too! I'm going to get deal to perform this fix and see how that goes.

[Scott_L]

First try just jet washing the vent holes on the discs. They can become blocked with pad deposits - especially if you use them hard on track. I just cleaned mine out and no more squeaking.

[Akynuz]

I have exactly this problem

My car upon delivery was silent as hell , now it has 4500+km on it and it squeals a lot ... it's so noisy that it hurts my ears, i can't drive with the windows open now, yes it's that bad

Furthermore did you guys notice when you turn your wheel at slow speed there is sometimes a rubbing noise ? Like when you close an old door

It's really annoying, i paid good money for this brand new car and it's the first time i get such problems ( had benz/audi/porsche ) and never encountered problems like theses.

[a7urn3r]

I rolled to 4k miles yesterday and the brakes in front create a very loud high pitched squeal on any light turn (driveway or parking garage) or light pressure braking just as described above. This is not the low pitched whale sound that occurs if they're wet, etc. the fix above may work but I want to hear what BMW says when I take it in.

[AM4ZING]

Disappointed in all of these comments... I will be picking up my M4 with CCB's within the next week and im already having regrets

[a7urn3r]

Most of what I see online indicates I need to rebed (a few high mph - 0 runs) I sit in brutal traffic in Frisco with a lot of light braking.

[a7urn3r]

Otherwise they're great and look outstanding.

[Roychimac]

Originally Posted by Alan S

After about 1200 miles I noticed that the ceramic brakes on my M3 were getting really noisy. When applying light brake pressure like in stop and go traffic the pads felt like they wouldn't fully retract and the brakes would squeak for about 20 feet or so after stopping, until the pads were pushed away from the rotors. The noise has gotten progressively worse, to the point they were squeaking when applying light break pressure when turning into a driveway and sometimes when coming to a regular stop. On my car it was the front rotors making the noise. the rears are fine.

I know this isn't normal because I have an R8 with ceramic brakes and although they squeak sometimes it's not nearly as bad as the M3. Both brakes are made by Brembo.

Here's the fix.

1. Remove the front wheel.
2. Remove the pads from the calipers. There are two drift pins that you can knock out with a punch and hammer. They should come out easily. Drive the pins towards the car. Remove the wear sensor. It's a wire that is attached to one of the brakes pads on the driver's side only (US cars). You should be able to remove the wear sensor with your hands. You'll see two Torx 55 bolts that hold the caliper to the brake hub assembly. Remove both the Torx bolts and then the caliper should slide off of the disk. Make sure not to stress the brake line and never let the caliper hang by the brake line. Remove the brake pads and then put caliper back on the brake assembly with the top Torx bolt. Just make the Torx bolt finger tight so the caliper doesn't hang by the brake line.
3. Apply caliper grease to the brake pads. Apply a thin coating of brake caliper grease the back of the pads where the caliper pistons touch the pad. Using a stick apply some grease to the holes where the drift pins secure the pads. Apply some grease to the top and bottom sides of the pad where they come in contact with the brake caliper. Finally apply some grease where the retaining spring comes in contact with the middle side of the pad. Of course do not apply ANY grease to any brake friction areas - rotors or the friction material on the pad.
4. Reassembly. Insert the pads back into the rotors and insert and tighten both Torx 55 bolts.
5. Insert the drift pins from the back of the caliper and make sure you tap them in all of the way.
6. Reattach the pad wear sensor.
7. Put back on the wheel.
8. Before you drive the car press the brake pedal a few times to ensure that the pads are up against the rotors or you may have no brakes when you attempt to stop.

Problem solved!

Hey man,

Do you have any updates on how this has helped your noisy brakes? Has this permanently address that issue?

Thanks,

R

[gthal]

Originally Posted by Akynuz

I have exactly this problem

My car upon delivery was silent as hell , now it has 4500+km on it and it squeals a lot ... it's so noisy that it hurts my ears, i can't drive with the windows open now, yes it's that bad

Furthermore did you guys notice when you turn your wheel at slow speed there is sometimes a rubbing noise ? Like when you close an old door

It's really annoying, i paid good money for this brand new car and it's the first time i get such problems ( had benz/audi/porsche ) and never encountered problems like theses.

This isn't a "flaw" with the car... loud brakes are a common thing with CCB and I believe BMW even comments on it somewhere in the literature. I have a good friend with the same issue on his Porsches (he has a Cayman S and a GT3RS) with CCB and they both squeal. Some CCB's will squeal and some will say they don't but I think it is far more common with CCB's than steel rotors across all brands of cars.

[CSanto]

Have any of you had this type of noise? If so what did you do to get rid of it?