Your brakes are a huge part of keeping you and your passengers safe as you travel on any roadway. When you can’t trust them anymore, that’s a big problem. L&D Automotive has these suggestions for you in case you’re wondering if you need new brakes or not.
Listen and Look
First of all, what are you hearing when you apply the brakes? If you’re hearing grinding or squealing sounds, that could be an indication that your brake pads are down to the wear tabs. These are designed to make noise to get your attention. Look at each of your brake pads. If you can tell that you’ve got less than about a quarter of an inch of brake pad, you definitely need new brakes.
It’s Taking Longer to Slow Down or Stop
When you step on the brake pedal, is it taking longer to stop than it usually does? That’s a big indication that there’s not enough brake pad left to create the necessary friction with the rotor. Your brakes should respond fairly quickly when you press the pedal. If you’re feeling that the response is sluggish at all or the pedal is softer than usual, you could also have a brake line issue.
The Car Pulls When You’re Stopping
Something that you really don’t want to experience is the car pulling to one side or the other when you press the brake pedal. This can mean that there’s seriously uneven wear on one side of the car than the other or it can indicate that there’s a problem with the calipers on that side. Either way, that can be dangerous in traffic if your car is pulling sharply when you’re trying to stop.
There Are Vibrations When You Apply the Brakes
If you’re feeling vibrations or shaking in the steering wheel as you’re trying to stop, this is a good indication that your rotor is warped or that the brake pads aren’t connecting evenly with the rotors. Regardless, it needs to be inspected and you may need new brakes. This isn’t something that you want to ignore. Your brakes don’t repair themselves on their own.
L&D Automotive in Lavon, TX can help you to properly diagnose your brake issues. We’ve got experienced technicians who understand all of the intricacies of the brake system, which helps us get you back on the road as quickly and as safely as possible.
