If you hear brake noises other than a squeal, it could mean your brake pads are worn out and need to be replaced. If your brake pedal feels different from normal or if you’ve noticed any change in the way your vehicle brakes, have the brake system inspected at once. Come see your local Andress Auto Parts for your brake part needs. Here are the most common signs that your brakes need to be replaced.
Your Car Is Pulling When Brakes Applied
As you approach a bend in the road or stop sign, hit the brake pedal and your car sort of pulls to one side. This motion indicates that your brakes pads are exerting uneven pressure on the rotor.
Little or No Brake Pedal Resistance
When you press the brake pedal, it’s supposed to offer some resistance. When it doesn’t, it’s highly probable you have a brake system fluid leak. It could be around the master cylinder, or a brake line somewhere under your car could have a small pin-hole. Because your car’s braking system depends on a steady flow of brake fluid, you should address this immediately.
Scratching / Grinding / Scraping Sound
This unmistakable, awful sounds like metal scraping against metal, because that is what’s actually happening! When your brake pads wear to a certain point, the “wear bar” is exposed. This slender piece of metal tells you that your brake pad level is getting low – low enough to change!
Excessive Vibration
We call it the wobble, whatever you call it, this is when your car vibrates upon braking. Similar to the pulling problem we mentioned above, this could be the pads. But it might be your caliper, too.
Locking / Unresponsive Brake Power (Even When Pumping Brakes)
We saved the most serious issue for last. In this case, check to see if your ABS warning light is on. When your anti-lock braking system fails, a critical safety feature isn’t working, and you should pull off the road as soon as you can.
No matter what brake issue you may be experiencing, come see your trusted Andress Auto Parts representative for assistance today.