Brake Repair: Top Five Signs You Need It

If you are wondering about the health of your brakes

, the best thing you can do is have a diagnostic run on this crucial component of your vehicle. It is far better to spend a little time having your brakes looked at than to drive an unsafe vehicle. Some signs of braking problems are more obvious than others. If your car is not stopping, you have an instant emergency and know that you need to see the mechanic when you get out of the dangerous situation. However, not all situations are this obvious, so you should also familiarize yourself with these top signs that your car needs brake repair.

Squeals

A high pitched squealing sound when you stop your vehicle indicates a problem with your brakes. Your brakes have pads, and those pads have a piece of metal known as an indicator. When the pads wear down to the point that the indicator touches the rotor, you will hear this sound. This is a simple brake repair job, because all you need to do is change the pads and you will be on your way again. Ignoring the squeals could make a full replacement necessary.

Wiggling Steering Wheel

You may not think about your steering wheel in relation to your brakes, but if the steering wheel wiggles when you stop the vehicle, you need to have someone look at your brakes. This often indicates a problem with the rotors themselves. The best way to fix this problem is to replace the rotors. Some shops will offer a temporary fix, called "turning" the rotors, but you will be better off with a full replacement.

Grinding Sounds

A grinding sound when you are stopping almost always indicates the need for brake repair. This sound points to metal rubbing together, which is never something you want to have happening on your brakes. If you hear any grinding whatsoever when you stop your vehicle, make a trip to the mechanic a high priority on your to do list.

Brakes Smell Off

If you ever smell something out of the ordinary after coming to a hard stop, get your vehicle checked out. While it could be nothing, the smell could indicate damage is occurring in your brakes. Depending on the type of braking system you have, this could indicate a leak that is allowing braking fluid to drip onto another hot part of the vehicle, or it could indicate that the pads got overheated during the hard stop. Either way, you should have the vehicle checked out to ensure that the braking system is working properly.

Long Pedal Travel

If your pedal is traveling further than normal before stopping your vehicle, you need brake repair. Eventually, the pedal could travel to the floor before stopping your vehicle, which can create an emergency situation where your vehicle will not stop. You should be able to stop your vehicle with minimal pedal travel.

Remember, brake repair is not something to mess around with, because poorly functioning brakes put your entire vehicle at risk. Keep yourself safe by having your brakes looked at if you suspect something is wrong, but in particular if you are experiencing one of these five issues.

by: Andrew Stratton

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