When it comes to vehicle safety, the brake system is at the top of the list. That being said, it is important to have your brakes checked by a professional at least once a year. Making sure your brakes are in working order makes driving safer for you, your passengers and other drivers on the road.
You don’t have to be a mechanic in order to determine if something is wrong with your brakes. Here are 5 signs that could be an indication that your brakes need to be inspected.
Noise
Your mom used to tell you that blasting music in the car is not good for your ears. Well, it’s not good for your brakes either.
Clicking, screeching or grinding noise when applying your brakes is usually an indication that something is wrong. And while these sounds are usually loud enough to be heard with your windows up, you may not notice it with your car stereo blasting. Turn the music down now and then and take a listen to your brakes’ performance.
Hard pedal
If stopping the car seems akin to Fred Flintstone putting his feet through the bottom of the car to bring it to a halt, then you need immediate servicing. This may indicate a problem with the vacuum system or a brake line obstruction.
Pulling
If your vehicle pulls to one side while braking or driving, this could indicate a problem with the braking system. A stuck caliper is usually the cause of pulling.
However, pulling does not always indicate brake problems. Sometimes, it may also be due to poor tire alignment, worn or unevenly inflated tires or suspension problems. So, if your vehicle starts to pull, it would be a good idea to pull into the nearest auto repair shop for a full workup.
Vibration
If your brake pedal vibrates or pulses even under normal conditions, you could have a problem.
Generally, rotors usually warp if they have been under extreme stress for an extend period of time. If you feel the vibration in the pedal, but have not stressed your brakes recently, you may have misaligned wheel.
Smell
If you’ve just put new pads on your brakes, sometimes there may be a smell for a short period of time as they settle in. However, if you don’t have new brakes, and you are detecting a smell or see smoke when you are using your brakes a lot – particularly driving downhill in our Colorado mountains – get them checked. Remember to downshift when you are on a long downhill stretch – it will save your brakes from overheating.
Schedule an appointment with us at Allegiance Automotive; we’ll check out your brake pads, rotors, brake lines, and everything else that keep your car’s brakes in proper working order.