New BRZ, brakes question
 

Hey y'all, I got my 2019 BRZ Limited with PP 6MT last month. About 50% of the time when I am braking and get down to 5-7 mph, the brakes start to squeal until fully stopped. I had hoped it would go away but I'm over 1K miles on it and it's still there.

I'm planning to take it to the dealership for them to take a look. I'm a little concerned they won't be able to recreate it OR they will hear it but just say it's normal. I hope this is not normal.

I appreciate any advice/recommendation on this before I take it in.

next time, don't buy the performance version!

Ensure that your right arm is calibrated prior to breaking in the parking brake. Hitting 33.7 Lbf can be tricky.

http://i.imgur.com/uVK79kI.jpg

Yup - a bit of a squeel isn’t uncommon! I have it occasionally around the same speeds. Just wait till you decide to track it and put on some track/race pads. They will be squealing like a piggy, but you’ll stop on a dime!

Thank you for that. I have not had much luck searching - user error I’m sure.

:bonk:

Okay, that’s funny! I have not broken in the parking brake and didn’t even realize that was a thing.

I’m glad to hear it’s not uncommon, thank you! I have had a couple of people suggest I take it to a track. I think it would be fun but I don’t know if I could change brake pads if that is required. If I could drive it as is I would do it for sure.

Thanks for the help, y’all. About a week after I got it the sales guy called to check in and I told him about it. He seemed stumped and didn’t mention it being normal... but he was probably just clueless, too.

I just traded in my kid hauler for this (I’m old). I wanted something fun and this car is hella fun. I love it.

When you get an hour or so of free time grab the manual and have a good read. Bet you have a few "OH that is cool" moments.

:bellyroll:

A build up of brake dust on the performance brakes will cause a squeak. After you wash the car the squeaking will stop until the dust builds up again don't worry about it

If you bed in your brakes properly it will stop the squealing. The pads Subaru specs for the PP are nice in that they're a bit better than your bog standard but tend to be relatively quiet even when street driven after a good bed-in.

If you change to more serious performance pads even after bed-in it'll squeal or squelch at low speeds, this is normal. More aggressive brake pad compounds have higher metallic content, which means they'll result in more squealing.

If you're primarily daily driving and not tracking it, I'd recommend you stick with the OEM Subaru pads (which are actually Brembo pads) for any future pad replacements.

17 PP here.

I remember being paranoid about the same thing when I got mine. Still squeels occasionally around the same speeds, but it does stop on a dime. Not much to worry about..



Also, this post has inspired me to read my manual.
Yeah I said it :p

Wow... what a helpful reply:slap: Of course you would say that when the Brembos weren’t even available as a factory option for your ‘14 BRZ.

To the OP, I’ve had no problem with the brakes squealing on my 17 PP BRZ... as mentioned a proper break-in of the brakes does help. Enjoy those beautiful Brembos!

I started but stopped and forgot about it. I’ll pull it back out. Is the parking brake thing going to be related to the squeal? I am pretty clueless, thanks for your patience.

Got it, thanks!

Thanks for the info - very helpful!

Thanks - I had started to read it but stopped. I’ll get it out of the glove box tonight.

Thanks, I will see if I can get the proper break-in done ASAP.

Nah not related to squeal unless you leave it on and then it is more of a "what is that smell" situation. The parking brake is a small shoe in a drum brake not a pad on a rotor one. I wouldn't even bother with breaking it in.


OH GOD I just told somebody to ignore something in the manual.