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New Chrysler 200 Convertible - brakes emit ear piercing sound.

Engineer

Engineer

Elite Member
My wife decided that after 20 years of marriage, she wanted a convertible. She saw and fell in love with the new Chrysler 200 convertible just over a month ago and bought it.

After about 300 miles, it started a high pitched noise from the brakes (sounds like front driver side) but didn't sound like normal brake sounds (metal on metal). It was a high pitched uni-tone noise that was almost ear piercing, even from inside the car (almost a resonating sound). It would only make this sound after the brakes had heat in them (after cooling down, it quits until hot again). I figured it would wear off after a while so we drove it for nearly 300 more miles, but of course, it didn't.

Took to dealer last Thursday. They test drove it and could not recreate the noise so they called to come get it. Of course, I knew this was wrong so I drove it home, warmed the brakes up on the way and before I arrived, it was making the noise. I turned around, went back to the dealer and had the "tech" ride with me to verify the noise.

They kept the car overnight and worked on it on Friday, simply scuffing up the pads and applying "Stop Squeal" on them. I drove it home and no more squeal. My wife then drove it out that evening and the squeal returned. Back to the dealer on Saturday it went.

The dealer service department guy was an ass on Saturday morning and stated that he would try to work it in. Called me about 1 hour and 15 minutes later and told me that they replaced the pads and rotors on the front. We drove the car home and no more squeal (again). ....until today. Here we are again with the squeal.

There seems to be something else resonating the squeal when the brakes are hot and applied. Any of you car guys out there experience that and have any clues to what it could be? This is really frustrating and I'm starting to worry that the dealer doesn't have a clue (probably don't) on what to even look for now. Any ideas are appreciated?

It's going back Thursday morning....
 
Try just different pads maybe? Those ceramic ones are stupid that way, making sounds when they don't need to be.
 
RedRooster said:
Try just different pads maybe? Those ceramic ones are stupid that way, making sounds when they don't need to be.
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I'm not going to foot the bill for new,different pads. Surely, surely, surely Chrysler has perfected brakes enough now to avoid squealing. It's got to be something other than pads/rotors.

Edit: I just drove it (she just came home) and I was able to recreate it and it's a loud, high pitch ringing. Not sure if the "shield" (or whatever it's called) around the back of the rotor is resonating or what. I had to warm (hot?) the brakes up to get it to do it. If they are cool (or being cooled by water - rain), they do not do this.
 
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Aside from the squeal, how is the car and is she enjoying it?

Did she go for the Pentastar 3.6L V6?

We looked at these in 2008 when we bought my wife's convertible. We liked them but were not pleased with the interior quality, much improved in the 200 though!
 
JeffreyLebowski said:
Can you get us a vid or audio of it?
Read here:
http://www.300cforums.com/forums/br...-3-pedal-pressure-only-dealer-sucks-help.html
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Thanks for the link. Very good read. I'm dropping it off at the dealer tonight to let them keep it through Friday if necessary. I'm not confident that they can fix this issue and I don't think it's a pad/rotor issue. I think there is something else resonating from the brakes causing this sound. I just don't know if I can get the dealership to follow through on that without getting Chrysler involved directly.
 
Fmr12B said:
Aside from the squeal, how is the car and is she enjoying it?

Did she go for the Pentastar 3.6L V6?

We looked at these in 2008 when we bought my wife's convertible. We liked them but were not pleased with the interior quality, much improved in the 200 though!
Click to expand...

Yes, it's the 3.6L V6. Fantastic power but gas mileage is lacking a little (can't get rated on window but that may get better with time). Interior is very nice. The biggest issue that I have is that I'm tall and the car isn't as roomy, especially with someone in the back seat (can't put drivers seat all the way back - too close to back seat), as I would like.

My wife loves the car and has wanted a convertible for a long time. She is starting to become aggravated and discouraged over the brakes through.

Love the car....hate the brakes and if they cannot be fixed soon, the love for the car will drop I'm sure.
 
Are you sure it wasn't this lady's reaction at you buying a Chrysler?
scream.jpg


On a more serious note the last vehicle I had gave an annoying squeal but only when the brakes were hot. If they cooled down or vehicle had just started no sound. It would only happen during light braking; no braking no sound, heavy braking no sound. I replaced some parts but it never totally solved itself, was very annoying.
 
Like I've said, I've had better luck by far with the 3 previous Dodge vehicles than I did anything of Chevy (and the Chevy list is actually longer than Dodge/Chrysler). Had no issues with the 2 Fords that we have owned either.

Ford = 2 good cars

Dodge = 3 good cars and jury out on this one (#4).

Chevy = 3 cars with serious problems. The 4th one, my daughter's current Cobalt, had issues but "seems" to be fixed as of now (in the shop for various repairs about 7 or 8 times over the 3 year period).
 
Doppel said:
On a more serious note the last vehicle I had gave an annoying squeal but only when the brakes were hot. If they cooled down or vehicle had just started no sound. It would only happen during light braking; no braking no sound, heavy braking no sound. I replaced some parts but it never totally solved itself, was very annoying.
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That's exactly what is happening with ours. The service guy (at the counter) casually acted like this was the first time we brought it in even though he's been there the previous 3 times I've brought it in (he didn't wait on me the previous times though). I suspect no change in the car when it returns. At that point, I'll call Chrysler directly and see if they have a resolution. If not, I'll notify them in writing of the 4th try (does the 1st try count since they said that they could not re-create the sound even though I was able to within 10 minutes of leaving the dealership?) and it's in their court.
 
Engineer said:
That's exactly what is happening with ours. The service guy (at the counter) casually acted like this was the first time we brought it in even though he's been there the previous 3 times I've brought it in (he didn't wait on me the previous times though). I suspect no change in the car when it returns. At that point, I'll call Chrysler directly and see if they have a resolution. If not, I'll notify them in writing of the 4th try (does the 1st try count since they said that they could not re-create the sound even though I was able to within 10 minutes of leaving the dealership?) and it's in their court.
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I would guess (literally) that the first try didn't count.

Is this squeal continuous or, when at low speeds, are you able to discern a pattern to it? I.e. if you can hear it only when the wheel is at a certain point in its revolution, it would lend itself to being a high spot on the rotor. But, if they replaced them, maybe the wheel itself is not turning perfectly.
 
Doppel said:
I would guess (literally) that the first try didn't count.

Is this squeal continuous or, when at low speeds, are you able to discern a pattern to it? I.e. if you can hear it only when the wheel is at a certain point in its revolution, it would lend itself to being a high spot on the rotor. But, if they replaced them, maybe the wheel itself is not turning perfectly.
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It's not just a squeal, it's a very resonating high pitch ringing sound. Not a traditional brake squeal (as in pads worn, etc). It happens after the brakes get heat in them (several times over a 10 minute span of going from 45-50 to zero) and then it's easy to get them started. If you let off and try again, most of the time it stops until the next time. I've been able to hold light pressure on the brakes and have them do it for over 400 feet.

The resonating sound is so loud that it can hurt our ears with the windows and the top up.

You are right, the first time they literally told us that they heard nothing and told us to pick up the car. Only after I took the tech. on a ride to let him listen did he believe me.
 
Naustica said:
Damn it takes 4th attempt before being declared a lemon? In Georgia all you need is one failed attempt for braking system and it can be declared a lemon.

Is there another dealership you can try?
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I can take it to several dealerships in the area but they are somewhat out of the way. I will probably call Chrysler as I don't think that the dealers will do anything other than say that they cannot find the problem or continue to focus on the rotors/pads, which I don't think it is the problem (especially after changing both out).
 
Naustica said:
Damn it takes 4th attempt before being declared a lemon? In Georgia all you need is one failed attempt for braking system and it can be declared a lemon.

Is there another dealership you can try?
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I doubt brake squeal would fall under a "serous safety defect". The brakes are functional, they just have a noise issue. So even in Georgia, they have three tries to correct. I could be wrong though.
 
5150MyU said:
You sure it is not a noisy out put bearing in the transmission.As in axle shaft bearing-inner.
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No, I'm not sure of anything other than it only happens after you apply the brakes enough to get them hot and only when the brakes are applied. When it's raining, it doesn't happen (I assume they are cooled enough to not happen or the friction on the pads is different enough to not resonate the same way avoiding the loud squeal.
 
Dealer stated that they had it fixed. When asked, they stated that they replaced the rotors and pads, which they had just replaced Saturday. The ones from Saturday had less than 20 miles on them before they started squealing.

I test drove it "softly" as to not get those damn "hot spots" on the rotors and no noise but I don't have confidence yet.

They literally accused me/wife of braking hard and damaging the rotors. I've been around too long and, unless their rotors/brakes are pure shit, there is no way that that happened. I looked at the rotors yesterday and could still see the machine marks in them from manufacturing.....not even broke in yet, lol.
 
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