Squeaking at low speed?

Hi…can I pick the forum brains please?

On holiday in Cornwall and have noticed at low speeds rear drivers side wheel area has an annoying squeaking noise. Wheel doesn’t feel hot so hopefully not a sticking calliper. Looking at the disc something is not quite right but not sure what…can anyone put my mind at rest till I get home?
Thanks in advance :+1:

Maybe sticking/seized slide pins and also caliper.
It really needs stripping down for inspection. The disc looks worn down, the pads could be too. What’s the rest like?

Other discs look ok and have a full wipe and no missed areas. Bought the car in June and it had been serviced by Mazda a week earlier so I’m guessing pads would have been checked. I’ll book it into my local independent first day home and get them to strip it and investigate. Might need a new calliper looking at previous related posts. Appreciate the help so far :+1:

Sometimes checking the brakes (in my experience) means a visual check by some service centres or their schedules. Unless it’s actually stated on the worksheet I wouldn’t trust it to be a thorough check. Some don’t even remove the wheels for a brake check, I’ve experienced that.

You’ve most probably hit the nail on the head…they probably didn’t even look at the brakes. That’s why I use an independent for all the work on our cars.
As long as it lasts for the next five days I’ll be happy!

fingers crossed it gets you home OK but its clearly not right.
Let’s hope the pad material hasn’t become detached from the backing - that did happen to my daughter’ motorcycle…
At least it is the rear wheel, so a little less critical.
Unfortunately, there does seem to be a dearth of mx5 specialists in the Southwest but perhaps you could get a Halfords autocentre to take a look. They are generally pretty straight

Looking at that picture, I agree with Mick - the caliper mechanism is seized, therefore the piston isn’t moving the pads enough to burn off the layer of rust… That rust and insufficient pressure on the braking surface will most certainly be the cause of the squeak…

To clarify, is it actually a squeak or common brake sqeal?

If the latter, I’m confident in saying it will be as above.

Have you ever stripped brakes down before? It’s quite straight forward but there’s a process to reconditioning…

It’s a definite squeak…I’m guessing at low speed driving along tight country roads everything heats up a bit and expands and hence makes a noise.
Car is an 2011 with 50k on the clock so guess bits and pieces are wearing and will need replacing. Wheel not hot so hopefully just a minor issue that can wait. Would it be total overkill to order 4 reconditioned callipers from MX5 parts along with discs and pads and get all four corners replaced?

Whether it’s overkill or not depends on quite a lot of circumstances…

Such as the condition of the other 3 calipers and the condition of the discs and pads too.

If you don’t kind spending all that money then go for it, you’ll be able to do it much much cheaper if you can do it yourself.

The first thing I did when I got mine was put new brakes on all round and refurbish the calipers.

Only you can decide if its worth it or not!

If it ain’t broke and works then leave it alone.
No substitute for proper maintenance though, it probably needs just that as I said above strip down clean grease and see how it goes.
Worse scenario you need a new or refurbed caliper, at best the slide pins are sticking/seized one or both and can be an easier cheaper fix.
Whatever get them all looked at the same time as sorting the problem one.:+1:

That’s good advice and I’ll take it :+1::+1:

Garage just rang…as suspected needs a new rear caliper, pads and disc. Also recommended new discs and pads all round as they are all worn…may as well bite the bullet and get it all sorted in one go then it’s done. Bill around £400…not good but if I’d bought a Porsche Boxster hate to think how much the same would have cost :flushed:
Believe it or not it had a full service at a Mazda garage two weeks before I bought it in June :rage:
Be glad to get rid of annoying squeaking.

Hate to think what a main dealer would charge…probably need to get a mortgage out to pay :slight_smile:

I guess anything could happen to a car in 3 -4 months including brakes seizing. I don’t think those brakes were even touched at that full service, just a visual check and not a very good one.

You’re spot on. On the plus side it looks very smart with shiny discs. Might give them a good spray with WD40 to stop them rusting :slight_smile:

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WD40 is no good.
Lard would be much better or dripping at a push.

Just allow for a greater stopping distance, or for added fun, just do one side.

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I think you’re trying to kill me :joy::joy::joy: