00 Camry with squeaking brakes

[Overtime]

I have a 2000 Camry with 72K miles. Over the past year, I have heard my brakes squeaking. When it first started, I had them checked and was told everything was fine and had at least 60% pad left. Within a couple of months, they started grinding as if the pads were worn out. I had them checked again (different place) and the shop turned the rotors for me, but told me the same thing the last shop had. I just had them check a couple of months ago (yet another shop), but no problem found. It comes and goes. One day it is fine, the next it squeaks, then it grinds. Hard braking helps rid the grind for a few days, sometimes.

Anyone have any thoughts?

[yotatechie04]

Hmm...that's a tricky one...I'm thinking that there is a quality problem with the pads, also, if your pad lining is still in the clear, it's most likely to be your shims. I had to replace the shims on my pads because they were resonating off of eachother making a squeaking sound when I applied the brake. Does the squeaking occur during light braking, or hard braking, or both?

[Overtime]

Originally Posted by yotatechie04

Hmm...that's a tricky one...I'm thinking that there is a quality problem with the pads, also, if your pad lining is still in the clear, it's most likely to be your shims. I had to replace the shims on my pads because they were resonating off of eachother making a squeaking sound when I applied the brake. Does the squeaking occur during light braking, or hard braking, or both?

Actually the squeaking goes away when I brake. The grinding happens when I brake. But as I said this is all intermitant, however, it is getting worse.

[yotatechie04]

It could also be the shims if it happens while driving and quits during braking, mine alternated between doing it while driving, and while braking. But I've heard cases that they cause grinding and squeaking while braking.

[Overtime]

OK, so what are the shims?

[ToyotaTech]

Have u clean and adjusted your rear brakes lately? that helps alot. but if your rotors are glazed then they will do this untill u get the rotors turned again and install new pads

[yotatechie04]

The shims are the little metal pieces that snap down on the backs of the brake pads that are supposed to keep the brakes from squeaking, but sometimes they do resonate, and cause a squeaking when you press on the braks if they're old enough.

[Overtime]

Are you say you think they are loose? or are they part of the pads therefor need to be replaced. I do know I have semi-metallic pads.

[yotatechie04]

These little metal pieces called "shims" snap onto the back of the brake pad. The part of the pad that comes in contact with the piston and the caliper. You will have to pop these off and replace them. It really don't matter if you have semi-metallic brakes, metallic, non-metallic, ceramic, or whatever...they all have shims.