The brakes on your vehicle are one of your car's most complex working safety components. Manufacturers have designed the parts to carry you and your family over thousands of miles with no problems. When problems occur, they are often detectable. This ease in detection is due to several built-in warning systems. If you pay attention, the brakes themselves will alert you to their need for attention. Here are some signs and symptoms you need to watch and listen for.
Screeching
Good working brakes perform their job quietly. When you hear squealing, squeaking, or screeching, it is time to check your brakes. While your brakes are still working normally when you first begin hearing these sounds, a high-pitched annoying screech is a cry for attention.
Wear indicators are built into the brake pads of disc brakes. When your pads become worn to this point, the wear indicators begin making noises. These noises are usually one of the first signs that your brakes are due for maintenance soon.
Grinding
If you ignore the screeching, squealing, or squeaking, your brake pads will continue to wear out. After a while, your pads will wear out completely. Once your pads are gone, the metallic caliper component of your brakes begins scraping directly on your rotor disc.
The scraping of the caliper's metal onto the rotor's metal surface often produces a grinding noise. The metal of the caliper will scratch, score, and eventually gouge the rotor disc. This damage will compromise the functionality of the rotor and eventually ruin it.
If you allow your brakes to get to this point, you will usually have to address this rotor damage in addition to simply replacing your brake pads. Your rotors will have to be turned or replaced.
Vibrations
Although vibrations in your brake pedal do not produce noise, it is a sensation you may experience when your brakes become really worn. The pulse or vibration can possibly come from your rotors becoming warped, uneven, or deformed. Resurfacing or replacing your rotors will address this issue.
Your wheels or tires being out of alignment can also cause you to have braking vibrations. This sensation could be an indicator your tires need balancing or aligning. Your mechanic needs to inspect your car to diagnose the problems your vehicle is currently experiencing. They will be able to examine each component of your systems. Remember, your family's safety depends on everything working the way it should.
For help with your car's brakes, contact an auto service in your area such as Gray's Tire & Auto.
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