Mine makes the same groaning brake noise. Are you sure that this is normal?

Are there people who do not have this problem? It may be a technical service issue as described by a prior poster on this string, and we may be the few who have the problem.

 

It's just the brakes being released slowly that's causing the groan, it's normal. Unless every BMW I've owned and ever been in has had this problem I'm pretty sure it's normal. A lot of people wont notice it because they have different driving habits. I bet if everyone gently let off the brakes then they would notice it. You could take your car to the dealer or call them if you're really worried about it, but I can almost gaurantee they're going to say it's normal.

 

Have not tried bedding the brakes, but I have seen conflicting instruction on how to do it, one post said brake hard twice to three times at 60 mph another link said brake hard once at 30 mph, not sure what to do Can someone that has successfully completed the brake bedding process please explain how to do it.

Also, I was not sure if i wanted to try bedding just yet because the owners manual says basically no harsh braking for the first 300 or so miles. I was going to wait until 400+ miles and then try bedding.

 

Since the rear brakes are disk brakes (not drums) I don't understand how applying the handbrake is going to help work a bit of the rust or high spots off of the rotors???

The surfaces that the rear brake pads and handbrake shoes contact are completely separate. The brake pads contact the actual rotor surface, while the handbrake shoes are housed within a small drum that is inside the rotor's hub area. So since the surface that the handbrake shoes are touching is not the main rotor surface I don't see how it is going to do anything to apply the handbrake. That used to help on older cars that did not have rear disk brakes, and the rear drum shoes and handbrake shoes were one and the same, but I don't see how it would do any good with cars that have rear disk brakes????

 

I noticed a "creep groan" type noise, sort of what I always attributed to low hydraulic pressure when I hear it- kind of like there are some air bubbles in the hydraulics. I don't believe that really is the case, just the sound of the hydraulics. I noticed it when I first bought the car, but by the time I took it in for my SZL fix, it had stopped and I actually forgot all about it until this post. So of course now I'll hear it tomorrow. Anyway, maybe yours will go away as you break it in, too.

I'm just really happy I don't have brake squeal. I thought all German cars were condemned to that, but my e60 has been blissfully silent on that front, so far.

 

bedding process:

http://www.zeckhausen.com/bedding_in_brakes.htm

 

Thanks for your responses and the link to the bedding information. I'll see if things quiet down, then if needed, go through the bedding process.