Noisy Brakes

After a recent topic on brake squeak there have been several questions about the swishing or maybe even a slight grind during the first few applications. This is not a problem it is the crud, rust or whatever that has built up on the rotor while sitting. This can be worse if you have driven through a rain storm or on a gravel or even a dirty road such as one in a construction zone. Under certain conditions, hot rotors humid and cool conditions more rust then you would think builds up on your rotors when sitting. When you first apply your brakes the pads are cleaning off the gunk and this is the noise you are hearing. When driving next to a barrier on the driver’s side apply your brakes slightly you will be amazed at the noise you will hear bouncing off the barrier. This is one of the reasons I recommend synthetic brake pads they are quieter in these situations. I once hit a post with my convertible by turning a corner to fast, after I had just removed it from storage, the gunk mostly rust affected the brakes to a point where I had very little stopping action. This was an extreme situation but none the less possible.