The Lemon IndexSquealing brakes are often the pad wear indicator telling you the pads are getting thin.
Get it checked. Usually fine to drive. Have the pads measured at your next service.
Pads near the end of their life (a metal tab squeals on purpose). Then: glazed or hardened pads or rotors; missing or worn anti-squeal shims and hardware.
Owners describe this in 3,629 complaints to the U.S. government, most often on the Honda Accord.
Cars owners report it on most
Complaints describing this symptom, by model, all years. Raw counts, not a failure rate: popular models get more complaints.
Model years that report it most
| Model year | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 Honda Accord | 63 | 4% |
| 2009 Honda Accord | 52 | 7% |
| 2006 Dodge Charger | 47 | 4% |
| 2001 Ford Focus | 31 | 2% |
| 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt | 28 | 3% |
| 2008 Chrysler Town & Country | 28 | 1% |
| 2009 Dodge Journey | 24 | 2% |
| 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan | 23 | 1% |
| 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLK/GLC | 22 | 15% |
| 2022 Volkswagen Atlas | 20 | 8% |
| 2024 Chevrolet Traverse | 19 | 13% |
| 2022 Ford Escape | 18 | 5% |
Each row is that model year's record in NHTSA complaints, not the history of any one car. Share = complaints describing this symptom out of every complaint we hold for that model year (shown when the year has 50+ complaints).
Where it makes up the biggest share
2022 Volkswagen Atlas · 8% 2002 Toyota Sienna · 7% 2009 Honda Accord · 7% 2024 Volkswagen Atlas · 6% 2022 Ford Escape · 5% 2008 Honda Accord · 4% 2006 Dodge Charger · 4% 2003 Dodge Dakota · 3%
Model years with 150+ complaints in our data and 10+ describing this symptom, ranked by share. A high share means owners of that year who complained often mentioned it.
The details
Common causes of squeaky brakes
- Pads near the end of their life (a metal tab squeals on purpose)
- Glazed or hardened pads or rotors
- Missing or worn anti-squeal shims and hardware
- Dust, rust or moisture on the rotors
- Hard pad material
General causes, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause with tests before replacing parts.
Is it safe to drive with squeaky brakes?
Get it checked. Usually fine to drive. Have the pads measured at your next service.
Get help right away if the squeal turns into grinding; the car pulls or the pedal feels different.
Of the 3,629 complaints describing it, 3% mention a crash, 0.7% say the car was towed, 0.5% mention a fire and 1% report an injury.
What the complaints show
The parts owners filed these complaints under: service brakes, hydraulic (57%), service brakes (30%), power train (8%), electrical system (8%). A complaint can list more than one.
Median odometer reading when owners reported it: 20,000 miles.
Most reports by make: Ford (529), Chevrolet (444), Dodge (356), Toyota (291), Honda (253).
What owners say it cost to fix
Repair bills owners named in complaints that describe this symptom (brakes repairs): the middle half ran $260 to $768, typical $405, from 82 bills.
Each figure is one repair bill as an owner wrote it in a complaint, not a quote for your car. Prices vary with the part, the shop and the year.
Related symptoms
Grinding noise when braking Car shakes when braking Brake pedal goes to the floor Brakes not working Brake pedal hard to push Car pulls to one side when braking
Quick answers
What causes squeaky brakes?
Squealing brakes are often the pad wear indicator telling you the pads are getting thin. Common causes: pads near the end of their life (a metal tab squeals on purpose); glazed or hardened pads or rotors; missing or worn anti-squeal shims and hardware; dust, rust or moisture on the rotors; hard pad material.
Is it safe to drive with squeaky brakes?
Get it checked. Usually fine to drive. Have the pads measured at your next service.
Which cars have this problem most?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners describe it most on the Honda Accord, Ford Focus and Nissan Altima. These are raw counts, so popular models rank higher; complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
How much does it cost to fix?
In 82 repair bills owners named in complaints describing it, the middle half ran $260 to $768. The right repair depends on the cause.
Counts: NHTSA owner complaints whose text describes this symptom (we matched owners' own wording, then read samples to check the matches). A complaint is an owner's report, not a diagnosis or proof of a defect. Causes and advice are general information in our own words, not repair advice for your car. Every symptom · Engine code lookup