When your brakes have reached their limit of wear and tear, it’s not something to be overlooked or delayed. Thankfully, there are some key tells that vehicle ownersgetwhen their brakes are nearing the end. If these are ignored, they can grow into more substantial issues and require more costly repairs, so it’s definitely wise to heed the warnings that your vehicle gives you and act quickly.
When in doubt, take your car in for a quick brake check to your trusted local mechanic, and they can give you a sense of how your brakes are holding up. In fact, it’s great practice to get a set of professional eyes on your brakes before heading out fora road trip, especially if you’re likely to encounter traffic and have to make frequent stops. No one enjoys a roadside break down when you’re away from home!
Get Your Brakes Checked Out If…
- You Hear a Grinding or Squealing Sound – Typically the squealing sound will occur first, whereas the grinding is often a result of ignoring the former. Either way, if you hear a strange sound coming from your wheels that does not go away, your brakes need some attention. At this point, it’s likely a brake pad replacement, but if ignored or advanced to grinding, you may have also worn the pads away completely and damaged the rotors.
- The Vehicle Vibrates as You Stop – If the steering wheel, brake pedal, or entire vehicle shake when braking, you need to get the rotors examined as soon as possible.
- You Just Don’t Stop Like You Used To – When the vehicle is slower to stop upon application of the break, or the pedal is more or less responsive than usual, these can be signs that there’s an issue in the brake line. Don’t simply adjust to the delayed braking pattern…get it checked out!
For auto mechanics that you can trust with brake repairs and inspections in High Point, NC, call Newton’s Car Care!