squeeling - what can it be?

[medic]

For the past few weeks, I've had this intermittent squeeling coming from the right side of my car. Sounds like it's coming from the front passenger side, but it could be the rear and just messing with me.



Anyway, the noise is a high pitched squeel like something needs to be greased. The noise will just suddnely appear, but after I come to a stop and start moving again the sound is usually gone. Occasionally, if I hit a bump in the road, the sound will also stop.



I'm thinking it could be related to the axle or maybe a calipar is stuck and the brakes are staying engaged. I don't feel a pull in the car, turning is not a problem, and the sound will come and go. I've taken it to the shop, but it hasn't done it for them so they can't tell.



One mechanic said that since there's quite a bit of moisture in the air it could just be water build up somewhere, but that seems odd as I don't think my brakes would cool down that quickly and shouldn't make noise when they aren't being used.



Any thoughts? I don't want my wheels to seize or fall off, bit I don't want to be paying a bunch to have shops look at it if they can't find anything.

 

[2wheelsx2]

The slider for one caliper may be siezed. I had this problem last year. So one pad maybe dragging in certain situations. Not enough to feel a pull, but enough to squeal and wear down one pad and one side of the rotor. Might want to have your brakes checked specifically for that.

 

[BradE]

Are you sure it's brakes? It could be just a serpentine belt or a bad pully. A bad belt or pully with cause squeeling like you would not believe.



My Explorer was recently squealing big time, and it turned into a thumping sounds. After nosing around I found out it was the idler pully. I took less than 15 minutes for me to install it and cost about $30.

 

[medic]

Are you sure it's brakes? It could be just a serpentine belt or a bad pully. A bad belt or pully with cause squeeling like you would not believe.



My Explorer was recently squealing big time, and it turned into a thumping sounds. After nosing around I found out it was the idler pully. I took less than 15 minutes for me to install it and cost about $30.

I think it has to be related to the wheels in some way. It only makes the noise while moving (never at idle) and the noise changes when I start to slow down/speed up. I figure that an engine/belt issue would also happen at idle.

 

[medic]

The slider for one caliper may be siezed. I had this problem last year. So one pad maybe dragging in certain situations. Not enough to feel a pull, but enough to squeal and wear down one pad and one side of the rotor. Might want to have your brakes checked specifically for that.

I'll take it and have it checked again. I asked them to do it when I got my car alligned, but since it's not on the squeel pads they probably just said they were fine and had enough life.

 

[2wheelsx2]

It might not be apparent in the pads, if it just started. They have to check that the caliper assembly is sliding freely, so that it's free to move in and out against the rotor. If it's not, they may be able to save it by freeing it. Mine were way seized, and we had to actually cut the slider bolt with a band saw!