5 Signs of Brake Problems & When It’s Time To Replace Them

Brakes are an absolutely necessary part of any moving object. Without them, you can cause serious damage to yourself and others, which is highly irresponsible and dangerous. When you start to feel your brakes are wearing down, it’s important to get them serviced or replaced by a trained professional. If you’re not sure whether you need to replace your brakes, take a look at this list of the five signs of brake problems and when it’s time to replace them.

Squeaking

Soon after you begin to notice squeaking or squealing noises coming from the brakes, your brake pads will reach the end of their life cycle. Squealing sounds often occur when the brake pads have worn severely. The more your pads wear down, the more pronounced the grinding noise becomes, at which point you damage your rotors, increasing the cost of repair. It’s best to get your brakes checked as soon as you hear squeaking. This is usually the first and most obvious sign of brake problems, so you should know when you hear it that it’s time to replace them.

Grinding

If you are experiencing a grating noise when you press down on the brakes, you should replace your brake pads as soon as possible. Metal wear indicators are often incorporated into automobile brakes. This indicator alerts you when it’s time to get new breaks. Brake pads left to continue grinding increase your repair expenses, as well as your vulnerability to additional damage.

Vibration

Another clue that your car’s brakes need immediate attention is when you notice that the brakes produce a vibration. There is a high probability that the rotors are deformed, and your brake pads have worn unevenly as a result.

Slower To Stop

If you observe a drop in your braking performance, it is a good clue that your brakes have to be checked. Your brake pads may have worn out completely, or your brake fluid could be nearly depleted, which is often a sign of a leak. When you want to gain a sense of what’s happening with your brakes, you should see a brake technician as soon as possible because if your brakes are losing their effectiveness, you will eventually lose all your braking abilities.

Warning Lights

You will usually find brake warning lights built into the dash of most modern vehicles. There are two indicators that have to do with your brakes: the Antilock Braking System (ABS) and the brake warning light. It may be that the brake light will turn on in response to a problem and that the light on your dashboard will light up if you apply your parking brake.

It’s never too early to have a brake expert inspect your brake system if you feel like something might be wrong. Take the time today to set an appointment with one of our brake specialists at your local Commercial Tire and make sure your car is road ready!