subject: Take Care Of Your Brake System [print this page] Have you driven around sometime today and made it there and back safely? Did you thank your brakes for allowing you to stop at every stop sign and red light along the way? Probably not. Most people just take some of the working functions behind their car for granted and never pay them any mind - until it is too late and something goes wrong. The brake system is something on your car that could benefit from an occasional checkup and maintenance, just in order to maintain their smooth operation for the long term.
The Brakes Need Maintenance, Too
Does a check of your brake system at home involve you stepping on the gas pedal while someone is behind the vehicle, seeing if the brake lights still work? While that is a good check to do often, it isn't the only thing to check. The lights are just a superfluous part of the entire system that keeps you from smashing in to someone on the road. The brake system can benefit on your vehicle with a regular maintenance check just like having regular oil changes helps the engine. Maybe they can even be done at the same time.
Getting the brakes checked every 3,000 miles might be a little overkill, unless you have a commute where you are heavy on the brakes and stuck in traffic often. Then it might be a smart idea to check on the wear and tear of all the parts and make sure they still look good and will keep you safe, even while sitting in a traffic jam.
What Gets Checked with a Brake Job
Having the brakes checked works best when the tires are completely off and the mechanic can actually see, touch and measure the brake pads. It is possible to estimate the brake pads with the tires on, but a more accurate estimate of their life is when the tires are off. Checking the brakes can happen each time the tires get rotated, when you get new tires put on or if there is going to be a tire alignment. Feel free to combine service so you don't have to pay simply for a brake inspection.
The technician will check the brake pads and how much thickness is left on each one. In theory, the pads should all be worn evenly, but in reality, this might not always happen. Therefore, all 4 brake pads should be checked. And if one is lower than the others, then they should all be changed at the same time. Besides the brake pads, the technician will inspect the rotors and the calipers that work the braking system. Even though the brake pads see the most amount of work and get used up, the other parts sometimes need frequent checking too.
When the brake pads are replaced, sometimes the rotors will also need replacing. If the brake pads got too low, then it could cause wearing on the other parts behind it. When those parts get bent, they need to be replaced so that they will hold the brake pads correctly and be positioned over the wheels to stop the vehicle correctly each and every time you step on the brake pedal.
