A few things in your car are designed solely for your safety, but none are as important as your brakes. So, if you aren’t concerned that they let out a squeal every time you press on them, that you really have to pound on the pedal to get the car to stop, or that you have to start breaking well before you actually want to stop, you should be.
As the owner of Benchmark Auto Services, and an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Master Technician, Jeremy Wolfson has seen break systems in every stage of deterioration and thinks its important that all drivers, and not just those who visit his business in Minnesota, are aware of the warning signs that their brakes need to be worked on.
How do you know you need new breaks?
Noise is the clearest and most common warning sign that your car needs to be taken to an auto repair shop to have your breaks repaired or replaced, Wolfson explains. Still, most people tend to dismiss the shrieking. At this point, you should definitely have your brake pads replaced since when the brake pads get really thinner, you will not have the same stopping power as you used to, he says.
Should you get your brakes inspected?
If you do a lot of driving, especially on residential roads which have more stop signs and traffic lights than major highways, you’ll need your brakes serviced more often. Still, it’s a wise idea, says Wolfson, to bring your car in at least once a year to have your breaks inspected. It won’t take long and you can even ask your mechanic to look at them during a routine oil change.
How can you extend the life of your brakes?
You can take preventive measures that will lengthen the lifespan of your brakes. And it has a lot to do with your driving habits, Wolfson explains. For starters, stop racing from red light to red light, he suggests. If the light turn greens but you notice that just a block ahead the next light is turning yellow, don’t speed to the light only to have to slam on your brakes as this action puts a major strain on your brakes. Similarly, if you often tend to speed up and then press on your brakes to slow down, for instance while driving in traffic on the highway, then your car’s brakes will suffer.
If you are a driver who uses your brakes a lot, or you have noticed a noise every time you come to a stop sign, locate an auto repair service near you and make sure that your brakes are keeping you safe.
