Anyone else's brakes squeal when softly braking only? I've had the dealer check and the brake pads have about 70% wear left to them and it only seems to happen when I lightly apply the brakes (not when I firmly apply them). The Dealer said it's a common problem with these new longer lasting brake pads that Land Rover uses across all vehicles.

 

I find this can happen when changing pads but keeping the existing (used) rotor. The grove worn into the rotor by the old pad never perfectly matches the new pad and so when lightly braking, they sporatically squeal. Not sure if this is your case, but I definately change out rotors with pads each time because it drives me crazy when it happens.

 

Certainly not guaranteed to work, but I always go with the easiest, cheapest, simplest attempt at any problem solving. Just for kicks, find an empty parking lot or large area, and while reversing at varying speeds apply the brake, also with varying force. Change it up from a soft slow stop, to a firm stop, just not a full-on stomp on the pedal. Sometimes a wear pattern gets set on the pads and rotors and this reverse action MAY correct that. Costs nothing to try, and if it works it’s a free fix, in a short amount of time.

 

I replace pads before it wears thin. It saves the rotors. My 2003 pilot still has original rotors at 235,000 miles. My 2015 Escalade has the original rear rotors at 284,000 miles. It has the front brembos and I just replaced it one time since I forgot to replace the pads early. My 2009 Escalade hybrid had original rotors at 195,000 miles when I traded it for the 2015, 7 years ago.

 

The squeal is caused by the brake pads vibrating. Most modern brake pads have some type of anti-vibration device either fixed to the back of the pads or used to hold the pad when mounted. One of these anti-vibration devices may have failed or become fouled.

 

Unless you wear the pads down to their backing plates I struggle to understand how changing them early saves rotors. Open to missing something

 

Agree w/ @MattF . Try having someone else drive it around a parking lot one weekend with the windows down. Sit in different seats and figure out which one it is. Then either take it back and tell them to fix it or do it yourself. Take the pads off, check that all the bits are there and apply some ceramic "anti-squeel" grease to the calipers (where it contacts the back of the pads and NOT the pad faces or the rotors). No, I'm not pushing "blinker fluid" here. I agree with MattF that it's chatter on the back of the pads where the pistons drive them into the rotors.