How long after brakes start squealing do you have to get them replaced?

Question

Here's my dilemma, my brakes just started squealing last week on Tuesday (only the front driver side brake is squealing). I got several quotes from shops and all range from $700-$800 bucks (I need a full brake job). Money I don't have because I have not been able to find employment up until yesterday (June 7). I start working on the 12th, and this job requires driving and is out a distance from my home (3 miles). I have been taking it easy by driving only when I have to and on surface streets and not speeding. What I want to know is with light driving will my brake hold out until I get that almighty first pay check?

Also, my owners manual says the noise is a safety feature to let me know to replace the pads soon, but what's that time frame?

Answer 1

The brakes will probably last until your paycheck. You run the risk of damaging your rotors by waiting though.(the rotor is what the brake pad presses against.) If you do end up damaging the rotors it will cost more to repair. If you have any mechanical ability and about 60 bucks you can get a set of brake pads for the front end and replace them yourself fairly easy with some simple hand tools. Autozone.com gives complete repair instructions for most vehicles. Good luck

Answer 2

Brake Pads Squealing

Answer 3

You do have some time left on the brakes when they start squealing. However you could damage the rotors. If the brakes have never been changed then you might be able to have the rotors machined instead of replaced which is cheaper. Also don't let the pads get to thin it could cause the caliper pistons from extending past there limit which could cause problems. So you ccan hold off abit, but not too long. Try the bus or bike or carpooling, 3 weeks is probably to long to go on those breaks.

Answer 4

First of all, if you are willing to pay $700 to $800 for a brake job, I'll come do it for you and I don't care where you are. Find another shop.
If it is just a high pitched squeak or chirp, you have plenty of time if you will just be short trip driving for the next 2 weeks. If it's a growling or grinding noise, stop driving at all.
Like the others said, do it yourself or find a neighbor who knows how and offer him a grilled burger and a beer if he will come and tell you how and maybe lend you the tools if you don't have them. I don't know where you are but most places I've seen, a brake job on the front shouldn't cost more than $150 - $200 if they replace everything, and about $80 - $100 for just pads and rotors. You could do it yourself for about $30 for pads (depending on what kind of car you have it could be more or less) and approx. $30 each for rotors if needed.

Answer 5

It's not so much a time line, as amount of braking.

Right now, you probably only need brake pads.
If you continue to drive, you could easily damage your brake rotors and the cost would more than tripple.

Brake pads are fairly easy to replace and may be something you should look into doing yourself.
I recommend buying a Chiltons, or Hayes manual ($20)for YOUR car and some basic tools.

Even if you don't intend to do the repairs yourself this weekend, I still recommend the repair manual for reference so you can be a little more informed when you do take your car to the shop.
Just read up on the repair and see if it's something you can do.

Answer 6

The brake pads could have been greased on the back, the two with a small sachet of particular grease featuring the recent pads, or the widely used Copper-Slip. otherwise, you may have some fairly undesirable squealing occurring each time you brake, and this would take place once you're off the brakes, as now and returned the brake calipers' pistons have not completely retracted. a bad squealing noise, widely used on turning one path, would properly be the sign of an expired "ball-joint" - there are frequently a pair of those on the two facets of the front suspension. Have the wheel nuts loosened, jack up the vehicle, help IT wisely ON AXLE STANDS, AS continuously and do away with the wheel. wearing gloves, draw close the suspension palms and attempt to rock them approximately. The death ball-joint could be fairly consumer-friendly to sense, because it is going to enable so lots extra flow than the others do. If ONE has failed, it fairly is sensible to have the two achieved, or maybe all of them, while you're protecting the vehicle and desire this to be one ingredient to no longer could worry approximately. i could call it a storage job, as they're now and returned fairly challenging to get out, and desire Oxy-Acetylene kit to get them warm sufficient to offer up and get off! under no circumstances have confidence A JACK TO help A vehicle, EVEN FOR A 2nd!!

Answer 7

Once you score the rotors as you have, you can't hurt anything accept the other motorist you run into in the accident. So if you want to take a chance on other people's lives, do it, because people are doing it everyday out there on the road. Just go real slow because you might not be able to stop as well in a panic stop. On the other hand, some brakes on trucks are designed to be metal to metal friction and your brakes might actually work better for a time!

Answer 8

Why a full brake job?
If only one pad is squeaking.
I changed my own pads for $25 with some directions off the internet.
I drove a month or two before the pad completely wore down, so you should have plenty of time though.
If the noise really bothers you you can pull the squeaker away from the rotor with a wire and some pliers.

Answer 9

It's not about the squealing per say, its about the thickness of your brake pads. Once the pads wear down to 2mm, they're at the recommended thickness to be replaced without risking damage to your rotors. Likely the front brakes are taking the brunt of your braking, so be especially mindful of their thickness. My front brakes squeeked at 4mm, and I drove until they went down to 2. I had no damage to my rotors, but was always worried about that each time I heard that annoying noise.
You certainly don't want to wear the pads down past 2mm... and how long it takes, its hard to say. Depends on driving conditions, driving habits, etc.
Monro (well known muffler.brake franchise) is having a $89.95 per axel special. That's lifetime on the pads. I suggest you take it there. That doesn't cover the labor, but it should bring your bill to something like $400-$500.

Answer 10

My experience is every time you hear a "grinding" noise it's like tossing money out the window the longer you let it go. Squeaking however can sometimes be anything from moisture getting inside the pads, to actual wear. See if you can get a trusted mechanic to preserve the condition as long as possible for you to save some money. But, don't let a brake problem go too long.