Brakes don’t last forever.
Discs, pads, rotors, and calipers all must be checked and replaced.
Don’t gamble with your safety and the lives of others. Maintain your brakes.
We don’t think about our brakes until we really have to stop.
We put a lot of faith in our brakes every time we drive.
We trust they’re going to work as expected when we need, without fail.
But brakes don’t last forever and if you notice any lack of or odd performance with your braking system, you should have the entire system inspected and serviced immediately. Failure to do so will result in one of two scenarios: you will either damage your braking system further and possibly other components as well, resulting in costly repairs; or you will raise your risk of being involved in an accident. Neither of those two scenarios is good, so here are a few things everyone should know about their car’s brakes.
Brake performance is the most obvious sign of trouble.
Longer stopping times and distances are signs of wear.
That shaking and shuddering when you step on the brake pedal is a sign your brakes need service now.
Brakes make some pretty ugly noises when they need service.
Some mean trouble, but some do not. Many factors contribute to the sounds your brakes make.
New low-quality brakes tend to make squeaking and squealing sounds more often than higher quality ones. This is because of the materials used in their production. But even high-quality brakes can make odd sounds as well, and time may be needed for them to simply be broken in. After driving for a little while on new brakes, most sounds should dissipate and disappear. If they don’t, you should have them inspected.
Dirt, grime, moisture are notorious causes of brake noise.
Dirt and grime can find its way into the brake pads and cause strange noises. If brake performance hasn’t changed, but you hear weird noises like squeaking or squealing, you might have dirty brake pads or some other detritus in the braking system. Eventually, even dirt should work its way out over time – but to speed up the process you can pump your brakes to knock it out, or process it through faster. Ever driven through a deep puddle and notice your brakes squeak for a while until they dry out? Typically just driving helps to get rid of anything that is stuck in between your brakes, whether it’s dirt, moisture, or even ice.
Squeaking or squealing is probably a sign your brakes need service.
Good modern brakes, however, are designed with what’s called a brake wear indicator. A brake wear indicator is used to warn the driver that the brake pad is in need of replacement. It is designed to squeak or squeal when the brake pads start to wear out. The wear indicator is sized so that it will make contact with the brake rotor or disc – the part of the brake the pad squeezes against to make your car stop – before your pads completely wear out.
Grinding metal.
However, if you hear sounds like metal on metal, especially bad grinding sounds, you should be concerned. If it sounds serious, it probably is. There are two main causes of brake grinding: when your brakes grind loudly and viciously when you press on the brake pedal, it’s almost always caused by the rotor disc making contact with part of the caliper. This is caused by extreme wear to the brake pads or rotors.
The other cause is as mentioned above, when dirt, grime, or even a pebble gets lodged somewhere in the caliper and contacts the pad. This can cause grinding, squeaking, squealing – all of these noises – sometimes when the car is moving and you are not even using the brakes.
Generally, you will feel and hear such rough grinding right away. If the sound doesn’t stop as it should if it’s dirt or a pebble that can be shaken or driven out, then immediate action should be taken to have your brakes inspected. When it comes down to it, most noises are actually harmless. But if one sounds, or even feels, serious, it’s a safe bet to have your brakes inspected rather than wait to see if the sound goes away and risk a bad situation.
If you can smell your brakes, something is wrong.
Extreme braking conditions, like steep hills or mountains, cause brakes to heat up and burn.
Every person has at some point smelled the brakes of the vehicle in front of them burning out while going downhill, particularly if driving in the mountains. This smell is due to continuous use under extreme braking conditions, such as steep grades (found in mountains). This kind of braking is not good for the lifespan of the brakes, much less the overall reliability of the system as the vehicle continues to travel. But, if through normal use, city or highway driving, and upon reaching your destination you smell your brakes are burning, this is not a good sign. What is the reason they are being burned, or smell overused if you were not using them excessively?
New brakes can sometimes burn off excess material in components.
Often new brake pads may sit just a little too close to the disc or drum and slightly rub up against it when the brakes are not actually applied. The burning smell will occur for a limited time, as once the excess pad has worn down it will no longer rub. But if the smell persists, or is occurring on older brakes, something is wrong. Either the brakes are old and worn out, or they are damaged or not improperly installed. If you notice the persistent smell of brakes burning, make sure you have them inspected and repaired if necessary.
Brake lifespan depends on a lot of things.
The lifespan of brake pads depends on a wide range of variables: driving style, road conditions, driving speeds, weather, environmental and road conditions, quality of brake components and materials, and much more. Mechanics and manufacturers generally agree that the mileage range for brakes is 30,000 to 70,000 miles.
Again, your brakes are one of the most important safety components of your vehicle. Relying solely on the general mileage numbers for lifespan is not advised, as it all depends on individual factors. Rather, you should rely on how your vehicle handles and performs, and be aware of the signs covered in this article.
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View Comments (3)
Thanks for explaining that your brake pads may have worn out if you notice that your vehicle shakes when you try to apply your brakes. My uncle is planning on starting a moving business next month, but one of the trucks that he purchased has a difficult time stopping when he applies his brakes at an intersection. Maybe he should find a professional to help fix his truck.
I didn't know that your brake pads may be dirty if you begin to notice squealing noises. My wife and I have noticed that our brakes make loud sounds that wake our children up whenever we park our car in our garage, and we would like to fix them before we go on a business trip next week. We'll consider hiring a professional that can help fix our car's brakes.
I'm thankful that you mentioned how the way that you drive can affect how long your brake pads will last. My brother tends to suddenly stop his car whenever he is at a stop sign, and he has recently started to notice this his vehicle makes a grinding noise whenever he applies his brakes too quickly. Maybe he should consider finding an auto repair service that can help fix his brakes.