Whew, that was a close call.
You didn’t even see that car coming as you were about to cross the intersection. Without your quick reaction on the brakes, things would have turned out much worse than only spilling the coffee you were holding.
Keeping up with your car’s health is incredibly important, especially in your brakes. Make sure to always be keeping an eye on your brake pads!
If you aren’t sure when to grab new brake pads, make sure to keep reading. We are here to help.
There’s Loud Squealing
Have you ever been waiting at a stoplight, and all of a sudden, you hear someone squealing to a halt beside you? That loud squealing is a huge sign you need new brake pads.
Do note that extremely heavy rain can cause squeaking, but your brakes shouldn’t be making that noise all of the time. If they are, make sure you look into a brake repair.
The Front of Your Car Pulls to the Side When Braking
It can get tricky when it comes to brake health because your pads don’t always wear down at the same right. Sometimes, one can wear down faster than the other.
If this happens, the nose of your car will navigate to one side when you hit the breaks. The longer you let this happen, the more harm it can cause to your wheel bearings and steering rack. One of the last things you need is a bad steering rack.
You Hear Grinding Sounds
Some companies will place metal ridges under the pad. This way, as you wear down on the brake pad, you’ll hear grinding noises once you reach the end.
As soon as you start hearing grinding and rubbing, make sure to get new brake pads immediately. Driving too long as the metal grinds can cause major damage.
The Pads Are Thin
If you have a suspicion it’s time to grab new brake pads, just take a look at your current ones. You can tell you need new ones if your current ones are 1/4 of an inch thick or less.
If you do need a way to buy some extra time on buying new brake pads, get your tires rotated. There are plenty of benefits to getting your tires rotated, including prolonging brake life.
You Might Need New Brake Pads
Usually, you should trust your gut on things, especially when it comes to car health. However, if you aren’t sure about getting new brake pads, make sure to read the top signs above.
If your brakes are squeaking but it’s not heavily raining, you probably need to grab some new pads. You can also tell you need new pads if there’s grinding, vibrating, and a slight pull to one side when you brake. Make sure to never wait too long when you start noticing signs.
Do you want to learn more about automotive repair and maintenance? Make sure you check out the rest of our site and read our blog posts.