Is It Time To Have Your Brakes Serviced?

5 Warning Signs Your Car Needs a Brake Service

Delayed Braking

As your brake pads wear down and become thinner, you’ll notice having to further depress your brake pedal in order to slow or stop your car. You may also notice it taking longer to come to a complete stop when you brake. Both symptoms indicate that your brake pads need to be replaced – and potentially your rotors, too.

Spongy Brake Pedal

While a soft brake pedal may be interpreted to mean you need new brake pads, it could also be an indication that you need a brake flush. Over time, your brake fluid becomes dirty and contaminated, which effects all parts within your brake system over time. Keeping up with regular brake flush servicing will help keep your brakes happy and operating at top performance.

This can also indicate air bubbles in your brake line. This can be from either an improper brake fluid bleed or a leak. If this is the case, you will have to take your car in for a brake fluid bleed or flush to get rid of any air bubbles. If a leak is to blame, your mechanic will be able to fix that before completing the brake fluid service.

Squeaking Brakes

Squeaky brakes can be a nuisance – and they also are telling you to replace your brake pads. Typically, when your brakes start squeaking, it means part of the caliper, which is the metal part holding your brake pads against the rotor, is rubbing against your rotor when you brake. If either your brake pads or rotors are too worn, this can happen. At this point, damage is not being done to your rotors but if you continue to let it go, that will change.

This could also be an indication that your rotors are vibrating or there has been some hardening on your brake pads. Both problems can be relatively simple for an expert mechanic to fix.

Brakes are designed to tell you when they’re too worn – if you hear any noise when using your brakes, that means it’s time to find a mechanic to diagnose the problem.

Grinding Brakes

Once your brakes start grinding, it’s time to find an auto repair shop as soon as possible and limit your driving. Hearing a grinding sound when you brake means that the metal caliper on your brake pads is now causing damage to your rotors. The longer this continues, the more likely it is that you will have to replace your rotors in addition to the brake pads.
Typically, when you take your car in for a brake repair, you will only need new brake pads, as they wear down faster than the rotors. However, once you have a visible rim around the edges of your rotors – or if damage is caused by the caliper grinding against the rotors – you will need those replaced as well.

Grinding brakes can also be very dangerous because of your limited ability to brake properly. You’ll notice it takes much longer to come to a complete stop once your brakes start grinding.

Visual Test

If you want to stay ahead of the game, you can regularly check the thickness of your brake pads. Typically, your brake pads and rotors are easily visible by looking through the rim of your car’s wheel. You’ll see a metal disc, which is your rotor, and your brake pads are clamped on either side of that metal disc. You can easily see the outer brake pad and judge its thickness.

A safe thickness goes down to about 4mm and once your brake pads are 2-3mm thick, it’s time to think about scheduling a brake repair service. You still have a little time before it becomes dangerous to drive your car but that doesn’t mean you should procrastinate.

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