I have a 2010 JK Shahara with stock everything. Over the last few days, I am hearing a high pitch squealing coming from the rear passenger wheel, while driving. The squeal starts when the brakes are pressed, but continues after the brakes are released. It eventually goes away after about 10 seconds, but once the brakes are pressed again, the squeal comes back. What is odd is the squealing continues after the brakes are released. I can be coasting down a hill with no acceleration or brakes and the squealing will still be happening, then goes away until the brakes are applied again. Then repeat, repeat, etc. Any ideas on what this could be? It is almost like the brake pads are still in contact after releasing pressure with my foot. Thanks for any advice or suggestions!

 

You could have worn brake pads. They don't last very long on the rear axle, and there is a metal tab designed to rub on the rotor and cause a squeal to let the owner know it's time for new ones. Or, it's not unusual for the brake caliper slides to freeze up. I've had it happen a couple times on my JK (269,000 miles now). Recommend first after a short drive, check each wheel to see if one is particularly hot. Use brakes as little as possible to avoid that causing them to heat up (normal). If one is hot, then pull that brake caliper and check to see that the piston can be freely pushed in. Also look for unusual pad wear. If a wheel didn't heat up, then just pull both calipers and check for piston movement and for pad wear. Also keep an eye out for a pebble or muck that may have been caught up in the caliper. Keep you eyes open for any other unusual wear and tear. I've also seen where a caliper bolt fell out and caused problems. Needed repair could be as simple as removing the pebble, to replacing the caliper and/or slide pins. You may want to do brake pads at the same time. Do both sides on an axle. Make sure to replace the metal clips that the caliper slides in (buy separate if they don't come with the pads you pick up). Be sure to know and use the correct lubes and adhesives on the various parts during reassembly.

 

Thank you. I will take a look at that. If anyone else has had the same problem or knows what could be causing the sound, please let me know.

 

Still no luck finding the source of the squeal. It is definitely the back driver-side wheen. I removed the wheel and inspected the brake calipers hoping to find something, but no luck. Again, the squeal starts when I apply the brakes and continues after taking my foot off of them. It can also start when I go over a bump or speed bump, without having my foot on the brakes. I am no a car expert at all, but I have read about the brake pad squealer that is attached to the calipers. Do you think that the squealer is touching and the piston is not moving back to its original position after I remove my foot off of the brakes? My Jeep is a 2010 and only has 24K miles on it. Basically a weekend car in near-mint condition. Please let me know if you have any other ideas. The brake fluid has never been flushed, nor have the brake pads been replaced. Thanks

 

Down there in Atlanta, it's entirely possible that you have a rusted up slide pin or caliper piston. You need to pull the brake caliper to give it a proper inspection. You want to ensure that the caliper piston slides in and out (it will take some force, and be aware that you're pushing fluid back up into the reservoir, so remove the cover and don't push so much that you force brake fluid out onto the engine bay). And check that the two halves of the caliper slide easily on their slide pins. At 24K miles, you may or may not need brake pads. Did you check their thickness, both at the top and bottom (they can wear unevenly sometimes)? If you don't have the experience or tools to do this work (including a torque wrench for reinstalling the hardware), I'd honestly recommend taking it to your local quick lube place and ask them to look at it. Or almost any tire shop will give you a free brake inspection. You don't want to make beginner's mistakes with brakes.

 

Maybe you can find where the noise is coming from by jacking the rear axle up (both tires off the ground), apply the brakes, then rotate the tires by hand.