You can assume that when you step on your brakes, you car will slow down. When your brakes are in good shape, that's a good assumption. But if you start to experience strange sounds and vibrations when you apply the brake, it's time for a brake inspection. You can continue to drive your car under some conditions. Other conditions mean you need to get your brakes looked at quickly. Learn how to interpret what your car is telling you about your brakes so you can take the appropriate actions to stay safe.
Metallic Screeching
A small metal tab attached to the brakes starts to rub against the disc or drum as the brake pads wear down. This is a general indicator of the safety of your brake pads. It can get bent or worn and not warn you soon enough. When you hear this high-pitched metallic scraping sound, schedule an appointment with an auto repair shop for an inspection of your brake pads. You'll still be safe driving your car if you get in to see a brake repair specialist in a couple of weeks.
Your Car Pulls to One Side When You Apply the Brakes
When this happens, it may be due to a brake pad on one side wearing down faster than on the other side. One of the calipers can be sticking, causing it to grab the wheel harder than the other side. When this happens, you could lose control of your car, especially if you have to slam on your brakes to avoid another car. The pads or calipers may need to be replaced, or if you're lucky, a simple adjustment could solve the problem. Don't drive like this long before you have the brakes inspected. Until you do go into the shop, try not to brake suddenly, and keep both hands on the wheel if you do.
Grinding Sound
When you've ignored all of the signs of your brake pads well past their life, you'll end up with metal parts grinding against the disc or drum. Brake pads are made of a variety of materials including metal, plastic, and fiberglass, which wear down with use. When the brake pad is gone, the metal bracket holding the pad is all that is stopping the car. As you slow the car down, the metal digs grooves into the disc or drum, requiring it to be smoothed out along with replacing the pads. This ends up being a much more expensive repair than just a brake pad replacement. This is an unsafe driving situation, and you need to take your car in right away.
Your Car Shutters as You Slow Down
An excessive build-up of heat in your brakes can warp the discs, causing a vibration in the pedal when braking. This can happen when holding down the brakes for a long period, such as when driving down a mountain road. This will normally go away when your brakes cool down, but the heat can cause permanent warping. The discs may have to be replaced, which is costly. If it continues to happen after the brakes cool, get in to a brake service shop like the Alignment Center quickly.
Share16 April 2015
You get in your car, turn the key and nothing happens. Your day is immediately put on hold and you don't know what to do. Could it be a dead battery, a bad starter or some other unknown element in the car keeping you from going about your business? To learn about the many things that could be keeping your car from starting, visit through my website. Here, you will find a run-down of the many things that could be causing your problem, so that you can more quickly get the problem resolved and get back to your day as you had it planned.