You May Need a Brake Inspection – Signs to Look For

Do I need to get my brakes inspected? That’s a great question, and a very important one. Here are a few others you should ask yourself. Does you car pull to to one side or the other when going down a flat, straight road? Have your ever heard odd noises while you are pushing on your brake pedal? How about a just an overall, sponginess to your brake pedal? If you answered yes to any of these questions, there is a good chance that you should get your brakes inspected. When we are discussing overall vehicle safety, your brake system is the most important piece of the pie.  Stopping quickly is a big part of avoiding an accident right? Plus, summer is right around the corner so it is a great time to make sure your brakes are ready for those summer road trips.

How Often Should I Get a Brake Inspection

At a minimum, you should check your brake systems and components annually.  Be sure to get a thorough brake inspection. It should be an in depth look at the thickness of each rotor, brake warning lights on your dashboard, any brake line and hose wear, and of course, the level of your brake fluid.

Old brake fluid on the left, new brake fluid on the right.

What Affects Brake Wear?

There are numerous different factors that will affect brake wear. No matter what your brakes are made out of, from semi-metallic to ceramic, they are all eventually going to wear out. Everything from road conditions, the quality of brake materials, and even your individual driving habits will affect the life of your brake pads and rotors. It is important that you maintain your brakes properly. Putting of an inspection could lead to a more costly repair down the road or place yourself, your passengers and anyone on the road in a dangerous position.

My Brakes Feel Spongy

An overall spongy feeling to your brake pedal could cause from a couple of things. There is a chance that it could be a set of worn brake pads, or it could be something more serious such as a leak in your vehicle’s brake lines. In this situation, you should stop by a local repair shop in your area and have those brakes checked out.

Visually check your brake fluid level by looking at your master cylinder.

Noises While Braking -A Sure Sign You Need a Brake Inspection

At some point in the life of your brakes, you may hear a grinding or squealing noise when applying your brakes. This is probably the most common indicator that you should get your brakes inspected soon. Generally, these sorts of noises have something to do with your brake pads. There are many brake pad designs which are created to actually make a noise when they are heavily worn. Luckily, this is not a costly repair. However if you happen to ignore these sounds that you are hearing every time you brake, the pads will completely wear through and begin to dig into the rotors (discs). If you keep up with proper brake pad maintenance, you can prevent a costly repair down the road, literally.

New brake pads on the left, worn brake pads on the right.

Should I Be Concerned About This Brake Warning Light

Yes, without question. There are many people who believe many of the warning lights on their dashboard can be ignored. This is especially true in the instances when you see a brake warning light come on, but you cannot feel or hear anything. Most vehicles these days have computer controlled braking systems. These computers help keep track of areas of your braking system which you could never feel or hear in any way. An illuminated brake warning light that comes on and stays on, there could be a serious problem such as a faulty sensor or an impending brake failure.

Where Can I Get My Brakes Inspected?

The Lia Auto group has local auto repair shops and vehicle service centers all across the northeast and you can get a brake inspection at any of our locations. We will inspect your brakes, tell your what the issue is, give you a fair quote. We will then get the repair done quickly and efficiently, so you can get back on the road sooner as well as safer. In addition, every Lia Auto Service and Repair customer also receives a complimentary battery test and multi point inspection.

Tags: auto repair, brakes, vehicle maintenance
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