When I picked up my Approved Used 530D in early June, its brakes squeaked.

The sales guy said 'that's normal on the 5-Series'.

Bollocks, I thought, and when it went in for a service (yesterday), I asked them to check it out.

Turns out, it *IS* normal. Or so they say. My dealer said that BMW are well aware of the squeaky brakes problem, but haven't worked out how to fix it yet.

ANY VIEWS PLEASE????

You can't hear the squeaks with the windows closed (which is 98% of the time here in chilly England). But squeaking my way slowly through a busy town, windows down, I'm kind of cringing ...

 

At work, there's five of us with E60s....and none of us has squeaky brakes!

Do they squeak all the time, or when you brake?

If its when you brake, then its possible the pads were replaced as part of the 'approved used' inspection. When the pads are replaced you need to apply an anti-squeal compound between the shim and the pad. BMW call this compound Plastilube. Without this stuff, the shim resonates and makes the squeak.

 

Mine is the same, only happens when braking at light to medium pressures
Like you, it is only noticable when the windows are down.

i can live with it..

 

If the pads were changed and are new, you need to re-bed the pads.

Here's how:

Take the car up to about 45-50 mph (or 85-90 kmh) and then brake just hard to slow the car down to 5 mph/10kmh; should try not to come to a complete stop. Do it aggressively enough without activating ABS. Around 0.8g or 0.9g.

Repeat 6-8 times.

You should smell the brake pads after 4 or 5 runs. This is normal.

Then let the car coast around the block without using the brakes to let the pads cool.

Then you're done!

 

My 530d's brakes made a hissing/squealing sound that I only noticed when the windows were down. Didn't take it back to BMW. I haven't noticed this on my 535d.

 

I have the same problem with all 3 E60 we have. Rear brake make squealing noises, took the cars back to dealer for inspection, and they told me that the noise was because of the brake dust.

 

the88saint: why do you have 3 e60's?

 

Mine does it too. Started at about 4,000 miles and seems to be rears rather than fronts. I've noticed a lot of pad material (especially strands rather than dust) on the rims - more so than I would expect for the kind of driving it is (mainly) subjected to. I suspect pad composition to be the culprit.

 

i bought a used approved 545 ... brakes squeal when applying. took a while to notice as i bought the car in the winter months so only recently started driving with windows down around town. it's a little embarrassing, and will ask them to look at it when it goes in for it's service.

 

So where do you go to do this braking technique?