Two Signs It's Time To Service Your Brakes

23 June 2015
 Categories: , Blog

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If your car hasn't been stopping properly, you may want to troubleshoot the brakes. While most brake pads can last from 30,000 to 70,000 miles, intense driving habits or a poor maintenance schedule can take its toll. Most people understand that squealing noises are a big sign that it's time to inspect your brakes, but these are not the only indicators. To keep your vehicle safe on the road, make certain you understand the other signs that indicate it's time for some brake service.

Vibration

When you press on your brakes, as your vehicle comes to a stop, this transition should be smooth. However, if you are noticing a vibrating sensation when you are stopping, this is an issue. A common problem is a feeling of vibration in the steering wheel whenever you are pressing on the brake pedal. The vibration is often worse when you are braking at high speeds.

The reason for this is friction in the pads. When your brake pads start to show signs of excessive wear, the surface of the pads becomes rigid and uneven. As the pad clamps down to stop the vehicle, the pad's rigid and uneven surface causes the vibration. The danger with this is that the longer you wait to change your worn pads, the more rapidly the surface of pads will wear, causing the vibration to get progressively worse.

Further Pedal Travel

It doesn't matter what type of vehicle you drive, you should never be able to press your brake pedal all the way down to the floor. A common reason for this issue is a loss of brake fluid. The dangerous thing about brake fluid is that when it is empty, your brakes may not operate at all!

If you have to push your brake pedal to the floor to stop your car, you need to pull over and look under your vehicle right away. Brake fluid is generally clear to yellowish in color. The only way to resolve the issue is to find the source of the leak. Another reason for this issue could be a problem with your master cylinder. If the master cylinder is not functioning correctly, you will lose power in your brakes. Either way, this is an issue that should be addressed.

When your brakes are worn, this can put your safety at an extreme risk. If you notice any signs indicating it's time to have your brakes serviced, make certain you are taking your vehicle in promptly.