Who to hire for brakes that are squealing

Short answer

A licensed mechanic. The distinction worth making before you ring: a high-pitched squeal when braking is often the wear indicator telling you pads are near the end, while a metallic grinding means the pad material is gone and the rotor is being damaged every time you brake — that one is urgent and gets more expensive by the day.

Soon, not tonightIt will not usually get cheaper by waiting, and it is rarely worth an after-hours rate.

What to do before anyone arrives

  1. Note when it happens: light braking, hard braking, first thing in the morning only, or all the time. Morning-only squeal from surface rust on the rotors is normal and disappears after a few stops.
  2. Note whether the pedal feels different — soft, spongy, pulsing, or travelling further than it used to. Any of those is more serious than a noise.
  3. Look through the wheel at the pad thickness if you can see it.
  4. Note whether the car pulls to one side when braking.

What to ask when you book

  • Are the rotors being machined or replaced, and why?
  • Are you doing both sides of each axle? Brakes are replaced in pairs.
  • What pad material are you using, and will it dust or squeal?
  • Is the brake fluid due? It absorbs moisture over time and is on most manufacturers' schedules.

What changes the price

No dollar figures here: this directory holds no price data and an invented range is worse than none. What follows is what makes one of these jobs cost more than the same job next door, which is the part you can actually use when comparing quotes.

  • Pads only versus pads and rotors.
  • Whether calipers have seized, which is common on older vehicles and on a car that has been parked a long time.
  • Vehicle type and parts cost.

What you can do yourself

Is this licensed work?

Motor vehicle repair licensing applies in every state.

There is no national register. Search the licence number with the regulator for the state the work is happening in.

Licensing thresholds and certificate requirements differ by state and change with amending regulation, so this page describes the mechanism rather than quoting a figure. The regulator’s own page is the current answer.

Common questions

Who should I hire for brakes that are squealing
A licensed mechanic. The distinction worth making before you ring: a high-pitched squeal when braking is often the wear indicator telling you pads are near the end, while a metallic grinding means the pad material is gone and the rotor is being damaged every time you brake — that one is urgent and gets more expensive by the day.
Is a squealing brake dangerous?
A wear-indicator squeal is a warning rather than a failure — the indicator is a small metal tab designed to contact the rotor and make exactly that noise when the pad gets thin. Grinding is different: the friction material is gone, metal is contacting metal, braking performance is reduced and the rotor is being destroyed.
Why do my brakes squeal only in the morning?
A thin film of surface rust forms on the rotors overnight, especially in humid weather or after rain, and it makes noise for the first few stops until it wears off. It is normal and it is not a fault.

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Who to hire for

General information about who does what, not advice about your specific job. Licensing, consumer law and council rules differ by state and change; the regulator for your state is the current source. More guides to hiring a tradesperson.