TLDR: brakes replaced ~18 months ago and are squeaky. Service temporarily resolved the problem, but the squeaking is back. Do I need a new mechanic or just new pads?
We have a mobile mechanic that does work on our 2017 Toyota Camry. He's super friendly, has reasonable prices, always gets us in to his schedule, and it's super convenient for my wife and I who both have demanding work from home jobs and only one car.
The only problem we have is squeaky brakes. Late fall 2024 our car developed a vibration during braking. We were due for brakes anyway, since they had never been done for the 5 years we owned the car. Our guy replaced the front brakes with a plan to replace the rear brakes in the spring. The new brakes were squeaky right from the beginning. We thought they'd set in but after 5000 miles there was still a squeak. I told him about it at the oil change and he said that if it was still squeaking at the next service there was something he could do to try to take care of it. I asked if it was a pad quality issue and he said it was unlikely, and it was his preferred brake pad.
That summer 2025 he did the rear brakes, and the service to the front brakes. To his credit, the squeaking had mostly stopped with the occasional light squeak here and there. And that brings us to now. The squeak has come back with a vengeance. It's as loud as ever. And it seems to really hit its loudest at exactly the brake pressure I would like to apply. I can make it quieter by pressing harder or lighter, but it makes for a rougher riding experience than I'd like. The worst part is that it drives my wife up the wall. She complains how annoying/embarrassing it is everytime I hit the brakes and we're squeaking like a school bus.
Now to the point of the post. I'm coming due on service and need the brakes addressed again. Before I have him address these brakes for the 3rd time, is it possible that this is a skill issue with our mechanic and I should take the car somewhere else? It seems to me the more likely scenario is a pad defect, but what do I know? I guess I'm just worried that I'll ask him to do the front pads again and the squeak will just come back.