having taken each wheel off and checking for bearing noise by spinning wheel then checking all brakes i.e. drums, shoes, discs and pads I have still got a squealing noise which you tend to hear more in drivers seat and this stops when apply brakes

is there anything else I can simply look at to sort this out, or should I take to garage?

go on, some please give me a clue seeing as I am a new member :460:

I own a 2004 Carisma (1.3 engine) and overall I am ultra satisfied with the car. This "problem" that you are describing is the only one I have. I have noticed a squealing noise in low speed and when the wheel is centered or slightly steered left; the noise goes off if I slightly apply the brakes , or turn the wheel a bit to the right.
I will be having a scheduled maintenance in 1k kms. Since the car is still under guarantee (7 years in Greece) I will ask the dealership's tech team about that. However, I am afraid I am going to receive the typical answer: " Nothing to worry about ... etc , it is probably dirt or something" If indeed they come up with something, I will let you know.

Check the caliper pushrods are not sticking, this will cause the caliper to press the pads against the disc unevenly. It also causes the caliper to not release properly so your pads rub against your discs causing squeal and wear, you may also notice slight pull on the steering. It will be louder when you turn in one direction (depending on which pushrod has gone) and it will stop as you apply the brakes. The caliper piston itself should be ok as they are quite well made but the pushrods (that guide the caliper assembly) have protective rubber boots on them that can wear over time causing dirt to get into them and then to cease.

Take the wheel off and undo the 2 bolts at the back that hold the caliper assembly on, these bolts attach to the pushrods. Pull the caliper assembly away slightly (so you can access the pushrods) and check the pushrods depress and release properly. No need to detach the brake line or remove the caliper completly as you should have enough room to work with if you just pull it away slightly. If the pushrods are sticking you can try removing them, cleaning them and re-greasing them as a temporary fix but it'll only last you 10k maybe 20k. Best to invest in new assembly imo. I had this problem with my carisma around 90k, cleaned them up and it lasted 10k before I had to get replacments. Got refurbished replacments from findapart.co.uk and they have lasted me another 50k and are still going strong.
:thumbsup:

my carisma purposely squealed when the pads were worn, look see if there is a small steel spring /shim attached to the pad designed to rub on the disk when the pads were shot