Brakes wear out over time requiring service

Many car owners don’t consider brake maintenance a priority until something goes wrong. Do not make this mistake. When you apply the brake pedal, a complex network of parts springs into action. In order for the car brake system to keep functioning properly, certain pieces must be replaced at regular intervals. Among those components, are your brake pads and brake rotors.

Generlly, car brake pads wear down over time. The amount of wear depends on vehicle type, terrain and driving habits. Typically it’s recommended that you change brake pads every 50,000 miles. As mentioned before that may vary depending on various factors.

car-brakes

5 Signs You Need New Brake Pads

 
 
 
1. While driving, you hear a faint scraping, squealing or buzzing sound
 
If you hear a faint scraping, squealing, or buzzing sound and also observe that, whenever you hit the brakes, that mysterious noise goes away. That is a clear indicator that your brake pads need to be replaced. Brake Pads are manufactured with built-in “wear indicators” that emit an unpleasant sound to indicate they need to be replaced. Stop into NAPA Auto Care Centers of Kendall and have our trained technicians take a look.
 
 
2. Bringing the car to a full stop takes more time than it used to
 

More often than not, it’s the direct result of worn brake pads. This is known as “Brake Fade”. Brake fade is a term used to describe the temporary reduction or complete loss of braking power of a vehicle’s braking system. This occurs when the pad and the rotor no longer generate sufficient mutual friction to stop the vehicle at its preferred rate of deceleration.

 
2. The nose of your car pulls to one side when you brake
 
Your vehicle’s brake pads won’t always wear out evenly. Sometimes, those on one side will get thinner faster than their counterparts on the other side. When this occurs, the car may pull slightly to the left or right once you hit the brakes. Both brake pads must be replaced to prevent the car from pulling to either side.
 
 
4. The brake pedal vibrates when pressed
 
If the brake pedal violently shakes whenever you step on it, the pads might be causing the problem. Brake pads are typically held together with a kind of binding resin. As each pad wears down, this resin gets hot and gets smeared across the rotor. Under ideal circumstances, it will form a layer that’s evenly spread over the disc’s surface. But if a pad gets overheated, the resin may not be distributed uniformly. Mechanics call this issue “glazing” and it can cause brake pedals to vibrate.
 
 
5. Indicator light turns on
 
Another sign that it’s time to replace your brake pads is when the indicator light turns on. In some models of cars there is a sensor on the bake pad that will trigger when the brake pads become worn down. If your brake light turns on, you need to get a professional to take a look at your brake pads and make a recommendation on how soon to replace them