[StefanJ]

Hi,

I recently replaced the front and rear brake pads on the X1 model F48 / 2016.
I chose ATE plates and sensors, the replacement was done at a service (not at the bmw representative).

After replacement I noticed the occurrence of cracklings every time the brake pedal was pressed.
There are always a few cracklings before starting the engine, when pressing the brake pedal to push the Start-Stop button.
I hear one-two audible cracklings with the engine started, when the brake pedal is pressed after half way.

What worries me is that these cracklings were not heard with the old plates.

Has anyone else encountered these noises after changing the brake pads?

[carlos050]

I also had the front wheels with non-original brake pads , I have put the originals brake pads in bmw and there is not noise.

[ejw2011]

What type of pads were replaced? Are they ceramic, semi metallic, or hybrid pads? Were the brakes bedded? It's possible metallic shavings are embedded between the pads and rotors (plates) and need to be cleaned off because the shop did not properly bedded your new pads and rotors.

[StefanJ]

Originally Posted by ejw2011

What type of pads were replaced? Are they ceramic, semi metallic, or hybrid pads? Were the brakes bedded? It's possible metallic shavings are embedded between the pads and rotors (plates) and need to be cleaned off because the shop did not properly bedded your new pads and rotors.

I don't know what type are the those ATE breakpads.
I'm sure the guys from the shop were not so skilled ...

I almost solved the problem by cleaning the guiding channels from the breaking calipers.
In time there will be a lot of breakpad dust accumulated and stiffed there.
Use a wire disk minted in a electric drill and be carefullyat the dust when cleaning.

I eliminated almost all the noises with this cleaning and it's much better now.

[ejw2011]

So it sounds like they did not re-lubricate your caliper guide pins.
That's the reason I do my own brakes. Glad you found problem and fix.

[StefanJ]

Originally Posted by ejw2011

So it sounds like they did not re-lubricate your caliper guide pins.
That's the reason I do my own brakes. Glad you found problem and fix.

Yes, they didn't lubricate. They told me that it's not advisable to do that, but I saw on YouTube that everybody lubricate them.

[StefanJ]

Originally Posted by StefanJ

I almost solved the problem by cleaning the guiding channels from the breaking calipers.
In time there will be a lot of breakpad dust accumulated and stiffed there.
Use a wire disk minted in a electric drill and be carefullyat the dust when cleaning.

I eliminated almost all the noises with this cleaning and it's much better now.

Getting back on my previous post...
4 days later and 1000 km more

The crackling noises are more present now and more lauder: when pressing the pedal before start the engine, when breaking during guiding and when the car is stoped.
I'm very frustrated with this.

It seems to me like a bad design of the calipers, because on all the cars that I owned it didn't happen such thing on a simple maintenance operation like changing the break pads.

Any other suggestions?

[Skyline2.0]

Originally Posted by StefanJ

Getting back on my previous post...
4 days later and 1000 km more

The crackling noises are more present now and more lauder: when pressing the pedal before start the engine, when breaking during guiding and when the car is stoped.
I'm very frustrated with this.

It seems to me like a bad design of the calipers, because on all the cars that I owned it didn't happen such thing on a simple maintenance operation like changing the break pads.

Any other suggestions?

My comments are based solely on brake jobs completed on different vehicles. I haven't gone through the procedure for the X1 yet, but I'm assuming a lot of it will be similar to past experiences.

Did you check the rubber boot around the brake piston? Make sure it's not pinched. Air may have gotten under the rubber boot around the piston and could be causing rubbing/noise issues.

Are all contact points lubricated? I know you mentioned guide pins were done, but make sure all other points of contact have lubrication (except friction material face, of course). For example, the edges of brake pad touching brake hardware, face of brake piston, ears on brake caliper, all areas on the backs of each pad touching the caliper, etc.

Did you change your brake fluid? Your issues may be hydraulic in nature, meaning it's a possible issue with the fluid or brake lines.

Were the brake pads bedded properly? It may be too late at this point to address this issue, but certain brake pads need to go through a bedding procedure (i.e., multiple hard/soft stops in a row right after replacement).

Just a few other diagnostic ideas to explore. I hope you track down this noise problem. Consider uploading a video of the noise to give us a better idea, as I'm unclear what "brake crackling" sounds like.

[ejw2011]

Hi StephanJ. Sorry to hear you're still having problems with brakes.
Just wondering when they changed your rotors and pads, did they properly pre-set your ebrakes before reinstalling new pads and rotors. This can be done manually or via code. This might be causing chattering of pads and rotors bc ebrake may be applying and no warning showing on dash. I really think the mech/tech did not know how to work on bmw brakes.
I've changed brakes on my previous 335i and X3 and never had problems/issues.

Also check what skyline wrote.

[StefanJ]

Originally Posted by Skyline2.0

My comments are based solely on brake jobs completed on different vehicles. I haven't gone through the procedure for the X1 yet, but I'm assuming a lot of it will be similar to past experiences.

Did you check the rubber boot around the brake piston? Make sure it's not pinched. Air may have gotten under the rubber boot around the piston and could be causing rubbing/noise issues.

Are all contact points lubricated? I know you mentioned guide pins were done, but make sure all other points of contact have lubrication (except friction material face, of course). For example, the edges of brake pad touching brake hardware, face of brake piston, ears on brake caliper, all areas on the backs of each pad touching the caliper, etc.

Did you change your brake fluid? Your issues may be hydraulic in nature, meaning it's a possible issue with the fluid or brake lines.

Were the brake pads bedded properly? It may be too late at this point to address this issue, but certain brake pads need to go through a bedding procedure (i.e., multiple hard/soft stops in a row right after replacement).

Just a few other diagnostic ideas to explore. I hope you track down this noise problem. Consider uploading a video of the noise to give us a better idea, as I'm unclear what "brake crackling" sounds like.

Skyline, thank you for your reply.
I'm attaching a zip file with a mp3 file.
It is a recording of the crackling noises, witch can be heart from 02 to 05 second.
The first noise is the shutting door, then the noises when break pedal pressed, then the engine start.

Now, to answer to your questions:
I don't know if they checked the rubber boot around the brake piston.
No, they didn't lubricate anything. They told me they do not agree to apply lubricant there (I think they are stupid).
No, the brake fluid is not changed yet.
I don't know if the brake pads were properly bedded, but I think it was done, because the car is breaking properly.

What do you think about the noises from the attached file?

[StefanJ]

Originally Posted by ejw2011

Hi StephanJ. Sorry to hear you're still having problems with brakes.
Just wondering when they changed your rotors and pads, did they properly pre-set your ebrakes before reinstalling new pads and rotors. This can be done manually or via code. This might be causing chattering of pads and rotors bc ebrake may be applying and no warning showing on dash. I really think the mech/tech did not know how to work on bmw brakes.
I've changed brakes on my previous 335i and X3 and never had problems/issues.

Also check what skyline wrote.

ejw2011, I think you are right, the mech/tech did not know how to work on bmw brakes.

They just changed the pads and sensors, not the rotors.
As regarding the way they did it, I don't know what operations they made, because they not aloud the clients to enter into the service room. The clients jus sit in the waiting room.

[Skyline2.0]

Originally Posted by StefanJ

Skyline, thank you for your reply.
I'm attaching a zip file with a mp3 file.
It is a recording of the crackling noises, witch can be heart from 02 to 05 second.
The first noise is the shutting door, then the noises when break pedal pressed, then the engine start.

Now, to answer to your questions:
I don't know if they checked the rubber boot around the brake piston.
No, they didn't lubricate anything. They told me they do not agree to apply lubricant there (I think they are stupid).
No, the brake fluid is not changed yet.
I don't know if the brake pads were properly bedded, but I think it was done, because the car is breaking properly.

What do you think about the noises from the attached file?

StefanJ,

Lubrication is required, per BMW service instruction (see link: https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...kes/1VnY5nSnwj). Also, I 100% agree, a "no lubrication" policy is not only stupid, but dangerous and will likely cause you problems down the road. If not lubricated properly, it can cause unintended noises, uneven brake wear, brake pad drag, etc etc.

I listened to the mp3 file, and it's a very weird noise... does it happen only on start up? Are there any stored or visible check engine codes? Did you have someone try standing outside of the car to listen for the noise before you started it up? Try starting the car with the hood up and someone outside to help pinpoint that noise, if it's coming from the outside.

The reason I ask is because it may not be a brake related problem, or not an issue with the pads/rotors. It sounds like the car is doing some sort of automatic mechanical/electrical check, but something is off.

[StefanJ]

Originally Posted by Skyline2.0

StefanJ,

Lubrication is required, per BMW service instruction (see link: https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...kes/1VnY5nSnwj). Also, I 100% agree, a "no lubrication" policy is not only stupid, but dangerous and will likely cause you problems down the road. If not lubricated properly, it can cause unintended noises, uneven brake wear, brake pad drag, etc etc.

I listened to the mp3 file, and it's a very weird noise... does it happen only on start up? Are there any stored or visible check engine codes? Did you have someone try standing outside of the car to listen for the noise before you started it up? Try starting the car with the hood up and someone outside to help pinpoint that noise, if it's coming from the outside.

The reason I ask is because it may not be a brake related problem, or not an issue with the pads/rotors. It sounds like the car is doing some sort of automatic mechanical/electrical check, but something is off.

I also found the BMW procedure in TIS, so I found out they should have been applied the proper lubricant. But they didn't.

The noises came from the brakes for sure, I checked from outside. They are louder and clearly to identify.
And for sure the noises appeared after replacing the pads; with the old ones there was any noise.

I'm going back there tomorrow to ask them to apply the proper replacing procedure, including the lubricant.

I keep my fingers crossed to solve this issue...

[ejw2011]

StephanJ, it sound like a thumping sound when you depressed the brake pedal. Correct?
Try this:
1) Take off brake fluid cap from reservoir and surround reservoir with towels to prevent spillage.
2) Pump brake pedal a few times slowly to pump out any air in brake lines or reservoir.
3) Check fluid level.
4) Recap
5) Check again if you still have strange noises.

[ejw2011]

Also, if that doesn't resolve thumping sound then it sounds like the ebrake not engaging correctly. Recall I said the ebrake (electronic parking brake) may not have been properly pre-set when reinstalling pads. Google/search about bmw ebrake. There is a video on properly setting the ebrake when doing brake work. It can be found under bmw x3 brake changes and not under x1, but the same principle.
Hope this helps.

[StefanJ]

Originally Posted by ejw2011

Also, if that doesn't resolve thumping sound then it sounds like the ebrake not engaging correctly. Recall I said the ebrake (electronic parking brake) may not have been properly pre-set when reinstalling pads. Google/search about bmw ebrake. There is a video on properly setting the ebrake when doing brake work. It can be found under bmw x3 brake changes and not under x1, but the same principle.
Hope this helps.

Thanks for the advices, ejw2011.
I'll try the suggestions these days, then I'll get back.

[Skyline2.0]

Originally Posted by StefanJ

Thanks for the advices, ejw2011.
I'll try the suggestions these days, then I'll get back.

ejw's ebrake theory makes most sense now. The noise does sound like something is actuating, but not operating properly, especially on start up.

Get the dealer to diagnose and correct. They must lubricate proper spots. Make sure they dont charge you to correct their mistake.

Good luck getting this resolved.

[StefanJ]

Originally Posted by Skyline2.0

ejw's ebrake theory makes most sense now. The noise does sound like something is actuating, but not operating properly, especially on start up.

Get the dealer to diagnose and correct. They must lubricate proper spots. Make sure they dont charge you to correct their mistake.

Good luck getting this resolved.

Skyline, the ebrake theory is not valid, because the noises appear ONLY if I press the break pedal.
Also, as more I press, as more noises came from the the breaks.

In the audio clip, the ebrake it's not present because it was not released. And normally, it is released keeping the foot down on the bread pedal.
In my case, the sound of releasing the ebrake it is very nice, with no other strange sounds.

I'm going to the service today. I hope they will not invent any other explanation to cover their improper work.

[StefanJ]

I'm back with a new post.

After a service check, they discovered that the clips of the pads were not properly extended and the pads moved into the guides.
So, it was the mistake of a bad mechanic who didn't know how to properly install the breakpads.

For others with similar noises, take note that the metal clips should be extended in order to reduce to zero the possible lateral moving of the pads into the guide channel.

Into the picture you will see one of the clips I'm taking about, extended and no space between it and the guide chanel.
There are two clips onto each front pad, meaning eight clips.

I hope this will help the community.

[ejw2011]

Hi StephanJ. Glad to hear its fixed. Funny I thought about the pad clips earlier but said to myself nah and thought it was common sense for an auto mechanic to seat them properly. I guess this mechanic never worked on brakes and you'll his first customer.

[Beagler]

A mechanic thats never worked on brakes is not a mechanic. Thats what you call an oxymoron.

[ejw2011]

THAT IS TRUE.