Are Your Brakes Bringing the Heat?

Any time you smell burning while driving your car, it’s cause for alarm. There are a few reasons why you might catch a whiff of burning when you’re using your brakes, and they aren’t all bad. Regardless, if you smell burning, it’s a good idea to have a trusted mechanic take a look, even if it could be a simple problem.

Overheating Brakes

Aggressive braking can cause brakes to overheat. This is especially common with mountain driving, so you should pay attention to how often and how hard you are using your brakes. The friction between your brake pads and rotors brings your car to a stop. That same friction also generates heat. Other possible symptoms that may appear if this is your problem include squeaking or squealing and even a spongy brake pedal.

If you suspect your brakes are overheating, don’t push it. You should pull over and let them cool down, otherwise you risk boiling your brake fluid and causing brake failure. This is especially common driving in the mountains, so don’t be afraid to pull to the side of the road if it happens to you.

Your Parking Brake Could Be Engaged

Oops moments happen all the time. If you notice a burning smell while driving, double check to make sure you fully disengaged your parking brake before taking off. It may sound dumb, but it happens to a lot of people. The friction caused by driving with the parking brake on, which is built to keep your car stationary, will cause it to overheat and can cause damage.

Other indications you’ll notice if you accidentally left your parking brake on include difficulty accelerating, squealing, and grinding. Typically, people will notice relatively soon when they have left the parking brake on, but if it isn’t noticed for a while, it can cause serious damage.