2008-2017 Mitsubishi Lancer Brake Noise: Squeal, Grinding and Pulsation Causes

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

Most brake noise on a 2008-2017 Mitsubishi Lancer comes from three things: a pad wear indicator touching the rotor (a steady high squeal), pads worn to the steel backing (a harsh metal grind), or rotor runout and uneven pad deposits (a pulse in the pedal or steering wheel). Each sound points to a different fix, and on this car the first step is knowing which brake setup your trim actually has, because it changed by trim level.

How the Lancer Brake System Is Laid Out

The tenth-generation Lancer arrived for 2008 with three brake packages. At launch, the DE used 10.9-inch (276 mm) vented front discs with drum-type rear brakes. The ES kept the same 10.9-inch vented fronts and added 10.3-inch (262 mm) solid rear discs, with ABS and electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) standard. The GTS stepped up to 11.6-inch (294 mm) vented front discs and 11.9-inch (302 mm) solid rear discs with single-piston rear calipers, the same brake hardware used on the heavier Outlander. Front rotors on the base setup are about 1.0 inch thick, and the GTS rear rotors are about 0.4 inch thick.

Rear configurations did not stay fixed across every year and trim: brake suppliers list some Lancer ES cars with rear drum brakes as well, so do not assume. Before you order parts or chase a rear noise, look behind the rear wheel. A flat rotor and caliper means rear discs; a closed, round drum means shoes and a wheel cylinder inside.

This matters for noise because a front pad on a GTS is not the same part as a front pad on a DE or ES, and the wrong pad shape can rattle or squeal in the caliper bracket from the first stop.

High-Pitched Squeal: Wear Indicators, Dry Hardware and Glazing

A squeal is the most common Lancer brake complaint, and it has several possible sources. The first one to rule out is the mechanical wear indicator, a small spring-steel tab on the pad. Power Stop explains that these tabs are designed to contact the rotor when roughly 1/8 to 1/4 inch of friction material is left, producing a loud squeal whenever you brake. If your squeal is new, gets louder over a few weeks and is present on nearly every stop, measure the pads before anything else.

If the pads have plenty of material, the squeal is almost always vibration. Wagner states plainly that vibration is the main source of noise in a brake system, usually from rust, distorted or loose components, or worn original parts. On a Lancer, the usual suspects are:

• Tired abutment clips. The stainless clips in the caliper bracket lose spring tension from heat, letting the pad chatter.
• Dry slide pins. A pin that sticks lets the caliper hold the pad at an angle, which squeals and wears the pad into a taper.
• No lubricant on the pad ears or backing plate. Metal-to-metal contact between pad and bracket transmits vibration into a squeal.
• Glazed pads and rotors. Hard stops or a dragging caliper overheat the surfaces until they turn glassy and smooth, which both squeals and reduces grip.
• Skipped bedding. New pads that were never broken in leave an uneven layer of pad material on the rotor.

Rust also plays a part on cars that sit. A light squeal or scrape on the first few stops of a damp morning that disappears after a mile is the pads cleaning surface rust off the rotors, and it is normal.

Grinding: When Metal Is Touching Metal

A grind is more serious than a squeal. On the front of a Lancer it usually means the friction material is gone and the steel backing plate is cutting into the rotor. You will often feel it as well as hear it, and the rotor will show a deep groove or a bright, scored ring. At that point the rotor is damaged and replacing only the pads will leave you with noise and poor braking.

Other grinding sources to check:

• A stone or debris caught between the rotor and the splash shield. This makes a steady scraping sound even with the brakes off, and it can come and go over bumps.
• A bent dust shield rubbing the rotor edge after a tire or brake job.
• Worn rear shoes on drum-brake cars. When the lining on a DE or drum-equipped ES wears through, the shoe table grinds the drum. Drum grinding is easy to miss because the parts are hidden, so pull the drum if the noise comes from the rear.
• A seized caliper or slide that keeps a pad dragging, wearing it to the backing plate on one wheel only.

Pulsation: Runout, Uneven Deposits and Hub Rust

A pulse in the brake pedal or a shake in the steering wheel during braking is commonly blamed on warped rotors, but the usual cause is thickness variation. It starts with lateral runout: if the rotor wobbles even slightly as it spins, one spot brushes the pad on every turn when the brakes are off. Over thousands of miles that contact leaves uneven pad deposits and uneven wear, and the rotor becomes thicker in some spots than others. That thickness change is what you feel through the pedal.

Wagner's troubleshooting guidance points to three checks: look for loose wheel bearings, measure rotor runout, and clean rust and corrosion off the hub face. Rust on the hub is a big one on older Lancers in salt states. A thin layer of scale between hub and rotor tilts the rotor, and a brand-new rotor mounted on a crusty hub will develop the same pulse again. Uneven lug nut torque does the same thing, so tighten the wheels in a star pattern with a torque wrench to the value in your owner's manual or factory service manual, never with an impact gun at full power.

On rear-disc Lancers, a pulse felt mainly in the seat rather than the steering wheel usually points to the rear rotors. On drum-brake cars, an out-of-round drum causes a similar surge at low speed.

The Fix and Which Parts to Replace

Match the fix to what you find:

• Squeal with good pad thickness: clean the bracket, replace worn abutment clips, lubricate the slide pins and pad contact points with high-temperature brake grease (never on the rotor or pad face), and re-bed. A brake hardware kit is inexpensive and fixes most of these complaints.
• Squeal from the wear indicator: replace the pads on both sides of the axle and measure the rotors. Quiet, low-dust ceramic brake pads are a good match for a daily-driven Lancer.
• Grinding or scored rotors: replace pads and brake rotors together. A cut rotor that is already near minimum thickness will overheat and return with noise.
• Pulsation: measure runout and thickness. Clean the hub face to bare metal before mounting new rotors, and torque the wheels correctly.
• Dragging or seized caliper: replace the caliper rather than fighting a corroded piston; see our brake calipers.

If both axles are due, a matched set saves a second trip under the car. Our 2008-2017 Mitsubishi Lancer front and rear brake kit covers rotors and pads for both ends on rear-disc cars. Confirm your rear brake type and front rotor size (standard or GTS) before ordering.

What to Replace at the Same Time and How Hard the Job Is

Every pad change on a Lancer should include new abutment clips, cleaned and lubricated slide pins, and fresh boots if the old ones are torn. If the car is on original brake fluid, it is a good time to flush it using the DOT fluid type printed on the master cylinder reservoir cap. On drum-brake cars, inspect the wheel cylinders for leaks and replace the return springs and adjuster hardware with the shoes; our brake shoes collection covers the drum side.

A front pad and rotor job on a Lancer is a reasonable driveway project for someone with a jack, stands, a torque wrench and basic hand tools. The front calipers come off with two bracket bolts, and the rotors slide off once any retaining screws and rust are dealt with. Rear drum service is more fiddly because of the springs and self-adjuster. After any pad or rotor change, bed the brakes in. Wagner's burnishing procedure is 20 gradual slowdowns from 50 mph to 20 mph with light pedal pressure, allowing about 30 seconds between each to cool. Skipping this step is one of the most common reasons brand-new Lancer brakes squeal.

On recalls: Lancer brake noise is a wear-and-maintenance issue rather than a known defect. The Center for Auto Safety lists no brake-related recalls for the 2017 Lancer, and none of that model year's seven complaints in its database involve the brakes. Always run your VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup to be sure for your specific car.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my new Lancer brakes squeal?

New pads usually squeal because they were not bedded in, the slide pins and pad contact points were not lubricated, or the old clips and shims were reused. Clean and lubricate the hardware, replace worn clips, and perform the bedding procedure.

Does my Lancer have rear disc or drum brakes?

It depends on the trim and year. At launch the DE used rear drums while the ES and GTS used rear discs, but some ES cars are listed with drums. Look behind the rear wheel: a caliper and flat rotor means discs, a round closed drum means shoes.

Are GTS brake parts the same as ES brake parts?

No. The GTS uses larger 11.6-inch front rotors and 11.9-inch rear rotors, so its pads, rotors and calipers differ from the 10.9-inch ES and DE setup. Order by trim or by measuring the rotor.

Can I just resurface my rotors to stop a pulse?

Only if the rotor stays above the minimum thickness stamped on it after cutting and the hub face is cleaned. If runout is coming from a rusty hub, a resurfaced rotor will pulse again.

Is it safe to drive with grinding brakes?

Grinding usually means metal-to-metal contact, which lengthens stopping distances and destroys rotors quickly. Have it inspected right away and avoid driving until the pads and rotors are replaced.

Sources

1. TopSpeed - 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer - launch brake specs by trim: rotor sizes, drum rear on DE, ABS with EBD, GTS rear calipers
2. KFE Brake Systems - 2008 Lancer ES with Rear Drum Brakes - some ES cars listed with rear drums
3. Wagner Brake - Brake System Noise - vibration as the source of noise, runout and hub rust checks, clip replacement, burnishing procedure
4. Power Stop - Causes and Solutions for Squealing Brake Pads - wear indicator thickness, clips, lubrication, glazing, bedding
5. Center for Auto Safety - 2017 Mitsubishi Lancer - no brake recalls and no brake complaints listed