You may not think about the brakes in your car very often, but they play a vital role in keeping your safe out on the road. If they begin to fail or don’t work as well as they should, you could be putting yourself in danger. That’s why it’s so important to be able to recognize when you need to get your brakes checked or your brake pads replaced. Here are a few signs that you should look out for:
It Takes More Effort to Stop
If you’ve noticed that if takes more time and effort to get your car to stop, there’s likely an issue with the brake pads. Generally, this is caused by applying the brakes lightly over a long period of time without bringing the car to a complete stop. When you do this enough times, your brake pads and rotors heat up to the point that their ability to generate friction against each other is reduced, thus increasing the time it takes to stop the car.
You’re Hearing Strange Noises
If you hear a strange squealing noise that disappears when you apply the brakes, there’s a reason for that. Many brake pads now have wear indicators built into them, which feature a metal tab that scrapes against the rotor when the pad has worn down to a dangerous extent. If you’re hearing this noise, it means you should get your brake pads replaced immediately. If you hear a squealing or a grinding /scraping noise when you APPLY the brakes, there is a good chance you have worn the pads down to the point that you are “metal on metal”. You need to get your brakes repaired/changed out as soon as possible in order to avoid more costly repairs, as well as to provide adequate braking force in an emergency situation.
Meanwhile, if you hear a clicking sound whenever your press down or release the brake pad, that likely means the pad is loose and rattling around.
Your Car Pulls to a Side When Braking
If you’ve noticed that your car pulls to the left or right while braking or driving, there’s a good chancing the issue is braking related. One possible problem is a stuck caliper, which could cause friction with one wheel. Other potential issues could be a collapsed brake hose or uneven wear on the brake pads.
If you’ve dealt with any of these issues, it’s wise to get your brakes checked out right away to avoid an accident. If you have unfortunately been in an accident and need an accident reconstruction report, we here at 4N6XPRT Systems can be of service.
Our forensic accident reconstruction software, which has been successfully used by civil and criminal attorneys, law enforcement, insurance companies, risk analysts and others, will accurately process information associated with the accident. To learn about the services we provide, call us today at 1-619-464-3478.