I am another owner who is plagued with squealing brakes, and it absolutely kills me to have to hear it!
I have 18 inch wheels, and only 2400 miles on the car.
Took it back to the dealer last week to complain about the front brakes squealing, and the fact that the rotors were scoring.
They replaced the pads, and cut the rotors. The brakes were silent for the drive home, but after that, they gradually started squealing again. I have a feeling that if I go back to the dealer, there is not much more they will (or can) do.
Yes, I have been braking lightly and using the engine to slow down in order to allow the new pads to seat.
My questions are:

1. I have only driven about 100 miles with the new pads / cut rotors. Do I need to give them more time before declaring the repair worthless? Or is it possible the new pads need more time to seat and will become silent.

2. After reading all these forums about the squealing brake issues, I feel like I will probably have to repair this myself. Will aftermarket pads take care of it? I don't really want to go the expense of changing rotors right now. Which pads should I go with? No track time. Just street driving.

Thanks.

 

Mine used to squeal, but they don't anymore. I had the same scoring of the rotor as well. I stopped braking lightly and adopted a more aggressive braking style, and the problem resolved itself. I haven't heard a squeal in a LONG time and my rotors are no longer scored. Just so you are aware in my case that the problem seemed like a very long break-in period or under use of brakes on my part.

I never had anything replaced, I'm still running on original brakes since I bought it Sep. 03.

Hope this helps some. It does suck having them squeal though, it drove me crazy.

 

Well, I agree that when I do brake hard, they do not squeal. The squeal is only under light or medium braking. You think I am babying them too much? I have basically resigned myself to the fact that I will have to replace the brakes myself to fix the problem, so I may as well give your idea a try. I will start braking harder, and maybe I will have the same results as you.
Thanks for the input. Anyone else have an opinion / idea?

 

You want to hear squealing...try high performance track pads on the street

I thought that I would be OK with a bit of noise...but this is aweful

Going to have to swap in some ceramics for the street

 

Sounds like that would be the wrong direction for me to head...pun intended.

However, you mentioned going to ceramics for the street?
Would ceramics be a good choice for me? I saw ceramic pads by Hawk. Is this a good option for me?

 

new pads shouldn't squeal, I complained and got new pads, so far 8000 squeal-free miles.

 

Maybe I should try the dealer one more time then, since Animagix had positive results.

 

Hi:
I've got 3K miles and also the squeak/scoring issue. the scoring is only on one corner however (left driver's). the squealing is definitely annoying, and yes I also only hear it with mild stopping. however I don't see that I should have to romp on the brakes every stoplight just to avoid the squeal (this is what the dealer told me I should do).
I've had squeaky brakes in other vehicles before, so it's not new to me...BUT, what's the deal w/ the scoring?? what would cause this, other than a straight-up defect in the pad?? It seems the dealer coment of it being 'normal' just doesn't sound right....

 

The brakes are too good for the streets, light braking = hair standing, heavy braking eliminates noise.

 

Thanks Gulaman for the input. I agree that I do not like the idea of having to brake hard at every stop to not here this terrible noise. I just called the dealer back, and they said to bring it in tomorrow morning.

Since it was there the first time, I now only have the squealing on the right side, and it modulates. As if only one spot or area of the rotor was causing it. Before the new pads and rotor cut it was very constant. Maybe I have a warped rotor on the right side?

Hopefully this next trip to the dealer will take care of it.

It's really ashame, because I love this car so much, but to drive it making this terrible noise makes me feel really crappy about it.

 

Also...
what about aftermarket pads? Will this solve the problem? Anyone had experience with just changing the pads? If so, what have you used, and how do you like the results? Are they quiet, feel good, less dust...?
My primary concern is that they are quiet and stop well.

 

Paul, it took a few trips to the dealer before mine finally stopped squealing. I mentioned the front breaks squealing at an oil change, and Mazda replaced them. Then it was the back pads, so they were replaced at the next oil change.

Don't let it continue for too long though. After the second replacement, there was another squeal on the passanger side, but it was difficult to tell front or back. I thought they needed to be broken in. At the next oil change, I found out the front rotor had to be turned and new pads were needed again. Finally, the squeal has been silent for the last 2k miles.

Ridiculous, yes. But Mazda did cover it all.

 

Thank Data, you give me hope. I guess I should continue to bring it back to the dealer until it is good, or they kick me out!

 

The new OEM pads are chamfered on the ends, and they are also sloping on BG Brake Lube #608BK and BG Stop Squeal #860.

 

just drive around the block once dragging the brakes slightly...

it will scuff them up enough to kill the noice for a few weeks. Repeat as necessary and stop complaining about something as rediculous as squealing brakes.

 

^^lol...ceramic RULZ!

 

have you tried breaking them in?

 

Sounds like they need to be bedded.
http://www.zeckhausen.com/bedding_in_brakes.htm

 

Thanks for the link to bedding in the pads. I have read many different opinions on how to do this, but this seems like a good link. Once I get it back from the dealer today, I will see how it is, then go about bedding them in according to this article.

 

Bed them once a week and you won't have problems. Just do a few hard stops.

 

Bed them once a week!? After they are bedded, that should be it.

The dealer placed a "call" to Mazda, and they are going to replace the rotor.
It was not in stock, so it will take a day or two. I will post again as to the results of the rotor change.