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errr! squeaking brakes! \'94 Fiat Punto - farmerhuw
I have a 1994 punto and it seems to have a problem with the brakes. When driving along normally, virtually all the time there is a squeal coming from the brakes. This ceases when the brakes are applied. I have been told by my local mechanic that the discs are worn out. The pads were recently replaced and the mechanism seems free.

The car has covered 61,000 miles and this appears to be early on in the cars life to replace the brake discs.

Any ideas or am I resigned to the fact that I have to replace these parts?

Many thanks

FP
errr! squeaking brakes! \'94 Fiat Punto - PR {P}
My last Alfa had this, exactly the same. It was cured by a \"strip and clean\" of the brakes.
Apparantly because there is no actual force in releasing the pads from the discs, dirt can prevent this from happening properly, and the pad remains touching the disc. On applying the brakes the pad contacts the disc properly and the noise disappears.
errr! squeaking brakes! '94 Fiat Punto - Sooty Tailpipes
When the pads were fitted, I bet no anti-squeal compound was applied to the backplate, this will cause it to oscillate at high frequency and produce a noise as it rubs on the disc. A satchet of anti-squeal goop should cost about £1 at a motor factors. You can sometimes get away with copper grease or similar, but I find it tends to get washed away, especially if you have alloys and a pressure washer can wash the pads.

It's easy to swing the caliper up on this car and whip out the pads, wipe them with meths or brake cleaner, and apply the anti-squeal paste and leave 20 mins to go tacky and refit.