Noise When Releasing Brake Pedal [7 Easy Fixes]

The main reasons behind noise when releasing brake pedal are lack of brake fluid, worn-out brake pads, dirt inside brake drums, broken brake calipers, CV system issues, worn-out suspension bushings, and brake booster issues.

Keep reading this article to find out more about these issues to find out why your car makes noise after releasing brake pedal and how you can fix each of these issues. Let’s begin!

Noise When Releasing Brake Pedal [7 Easy Fixes]

Your brake system consists of several moving parts. It’s definitely worthy of concern if your car makes noise when releasing brake pedal. Here are the most common reasons why it happens:

Note: You can also read how to fix both front brake Calipers Not Releasing the problem.

1. Lack Of Brake Fluid

Your braking system works properly because of the brake fluid. It’s a hydraulic fluid that goes through the brake lines and reaches all the wheels of your car when you hit the brakes. It allows you to apply force to the car and makes it slow down and stop.

If you’re running low on brake fluid, you may hear a creaking sound when releasing the brake pedal as it won’t function well. Check the level of brake fluid in your car and see if you’re running low on it or not.

Let the engine cool down first and locate the brake fluid reservoir in your car. It’s generally found on the driver’s side. Once you locate it, check the level of fluid. Also, make sure to check the quality of the fluid. It’s a warning sign if the fluid is black or has gotten too thick.

Solution:

If the level of brake fluid is low, you can add it until it reaches between the minimum and maximum lines. Different cars require different types of brake fluid. Refer to your owner’s manual to know the right type of brake fluid for your car and pour it in one quart at a time.

If the quality of the brake fluid is bad, you need to drain it first. Once you do that, add the correct type of brake fluid for your vehicle. That should stop any noise from your car if the fluid was causing it.

2. Worn Out Brake Pads

The brake calipers use the brake pads in your car when they squeeze the rotors as you hit the brakes.

No brake pads are meant to last forever and it’s common for them to get worn out with time. You’ll often hear a groaning noise when releasing brake pedal when the brake pads are worn out.

Solution:

Replace the brake pads if they’re worn out and make unpleasant noises. As a general rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to inspect the brake pads every 5000 miles and replace them after 25,000 to 60,000 miles.

3. Dirt Inside Brake Drums

As you keep driving your car, dirt and brake dust gets inside your brake drums with time.

It’s not a major problem but can be annoying for most people as you’ll hear a squeaking noise when releasing brake pedal because of it.

Solution:

Cleaning the dust and debris inside the brake drums will solve the problem. You can easily do it yourself by taking off the tire and unscrewing the bolts attached to the brake drums.

Clean off the dirt using a brake cleaner and apply some caliper grease to the points where the metals contact each other. Put it back together and that should be enough to get rid of the brake noise when braking slowly.

4. Broken Brake Calipers

The brake calipers in your car are found at each wheel and they squeeze the rotors against the brake pads to slow down the car gradually by decreasing the speed of the wheel before coming to a stop.

If you hear a clunk noise when releasing brake pedal, it’s most likely caused by faulty brake calipers. You’ll start to experience drag from the wheel that’s connected to the faulty caliper.

One quick way for you to diagnose if you have a bad brake caliper is to place your hand close to the wheel. If there’s a lot of heat coming from them, chances are you have a faulty brake caliper.

Other symptoms of a faulty brake caliper include the brake light will come on, vibration when pressing the brake pedal, the car pulling on one side, and a burning smell behind the wheel.

Solution:

You need to replace the faulty brake caliper with a new one. It can cost you around $100-$200 to get it done. Brake calipers usually last for 100,000 miles or more. So, you won’t have to worry about another replacement job for your brake calipers anytime soon.

5. CV System Issues

The CV (Constant Velocity) joints and axles in your car play a vital role in giving power and direction to the wheels. CV joints connect the transmission to the wheels. The CV axles deliver power to the wheels.

Both these components help the car move in any direction while maintaining a constant velocity. Any issues with the CV system can result in a clicking noise when releasing brake pedal.

You’ll notice grease on the inside edge of the front wheels when you have a faulty CV axle. There’s a boot made of rubber that seals the grease and it leaks when it’s broken due to wear and tear.

A bad CV joint will cause your car to pull on one side but it will completely stop moving when the CV system is entirely damaged. You may see smoke coming from the bad CV joint if it’s completely broken.

Solution:

You should never drive with a bad CV joint as it can cause a serious injury to yourself and others. It will cost you around $1000 to replace a CV axle in your car. It’s a good idea to hire a technician to do this job as replacing the CV axles or joints can be difficult and requires time and expertise.

6. Worn Out Suspension Bushings

Suspension bushings make sure that there’s no erosion when the different metal parts in the suspension system come into contact with each other. They limit the vibration and noise coming from the suspension system.

When the suspension bushings wear out, you’ll hear a grinding noise when releasing the brake pedal in most cases. That’s because it will no longer have the ability to control the vibration and noise of the suspension system.

You’ll also have difficulty steering your car at high speeds when the suspension bushings become worn out. A shimmy in the front end of your car is another indicator of failing suspension bushings.

Solution:

The suspension bushings need to be replaced when it’s damaged to prevent the annoying noise. It’ll cost a few hundred dollars to replace it for most cars. We recommend hiring a mechanic to replace the bushings as it’s a tricky job.

But there are some cars that are designed in such a way that it’s impossible to replace the bushings separately. The entire control arm needs to be replaced in such cases and it’ll cost you more to do it.

7. Brake Booster Issues

A brake booster enhances the performance of the brake system in your car. Because of it, you can successfully brake your vehicle even when you apply little force to do so.

The brake booster needs vacuum pressure to function properly. A diaphragm inside the brake booster controls the pressure when you don’t push down on the brake pedal.

So, why does it sound like air when I press the brake pedal? If something goes wrong with the process that makes the brake boosters work, you would hear the brake pedal hissing when released.

The main reasons why the brake booster makes a hissing noise when releasing the brake pedal are:

• A leak in the vacuum hose that’s connected to the brake booster.
• A failing brake booster diaphragm.
• Air leaking from the master cylinder gasket to the brake booster.
• A worn-out or missing foam silencer.

Solution:

You need to diagnose exactly what’s causing the issue among the common reasons mentioned by having a mechanic take a look at your car. It can be a very cheap fix if the foam is missing or it can be a very expensive fix if there are issues with the major components.

FAQs:

Conclusion

Many motorists don’t give priority to maintaining the brake system and that causes issues like noise when releasing the brake pedal. Avoid such issues by taking proper care of your vehicle in the first place.

But if you’re stuck with this problem, now you know the main reasons behind this issue and how you can fix them by completing this article. Leave a comment below if you have any more questions about braking system issues.