car has no power and one of the plugs is not firing

For the non firing plug, check the coil wire or ignition coil. Try swapping them around. Have the compression tested.

For the brakes, check the pad lining. If pads are almost worn, the noise could be from the wear indicator. If the brakes are sticking, check the caliper pins for stiffness and check the caliper pistons to see if they are stuck due to rust etc which can occur if the rubber seals are torn.