Brakes are one of the most crucial parts of your vehicle, and paying attention to the warning signs that it’s time to change your Brake Pads, can make the difference between life and death. Your brake pads should be changed roughly once a year or so, depending on your driving habits. If you drive in a lot of stop and go traffic, or do long distances, they may need to be replaced a few times a year. Fortunately, it’s easy to determine when they need replacing, if you know what to look for. Here’s three indicators to alert you to the need:
- Squealing Sound – Besides the obvious brake light appearing on your dashboard, the high-pitched squeal when you press the brakes is the classic sign we’re most familiar with. For many years now, vehicles have a brake indicator feature, which begins squealing when it’s time to have them replaced. If you ignore this sign for very long, the worn pads will significantly reduce your ability to brake safely.
- Grinding Sound – This is the sound that comes if you did ignore the squealing sound too long! By this point, you’ve worn completely through your brake pads and the metal of the calipers is grinding against the metal of the rotors. Now it is not only dangerous when trying to stop the car, there’s a good chance you’ll damage the rotors, resulting in a much more costly repair job to replace or resurface the rotors.
- Pulling to the Right or Left – While this can be due to poor alignment, worn tires or a collapsed brake hose that causes your calipers to move unevenly while braking, it could also indicate a problem with the brakes pads. If your car acts like it wants to make a right or left turn while driving or braking, it could be that the brake pads are uneven, therefore applying different amounts of pressure to each wheel.
- Vibrations or Pulsations while Braking – Again, there can be other causes for this sensation, but if your brake pedal pulses under normal conditions, and not just in a sudden stop with antilock brakes, it could mean there’s a problem. The problem could be from warped rotors which will drum against the brake pads, sending the feedback through the brake pedal. This symptom is usually the result of intense brake use, such as travelling down mountains or stopping frequently while towing something heavy.
- Soft Pedal – If your brake pedal feels mushy or goes almost to the floor before engaging the brakes, it’s probably either worn brake pads or a problem with the hydraulic system, so check the pads first.
- Visible Wear – If you are fairly familiar with your brakes, go ahead and peak underneath your vehicle to take a closer look at your brake pads. Generally speaking, if they are worn down to ¼ an inch or less then it is time for new pads.
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Source: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/brakes/brake-tests/5-signs-you-need-your-brakes-checked.htm#page=2
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