How often should you replace your car’s brakes? That’s a question we all tend to ask ourselves. After all, there’s no set guideline to follow to know when to change the brakes. That’s because brakes are subject to different conditions, and even the brakes themselves may have slight differences in designs that can impact their durability. For example, some brakes may only last up to 30,000 km, while other brakes may near the 100,000 km mark! However, this isn’t to say that there’s absolutely no way to know when to replace your car’s brakes.
More often than not, when your brakes are nearing the end of their life, they’ll start showing signs that you should catch on too quickly to know to replace them. Today, we want to share with you those signs to help you understand that it is time to replace the brakes:
1. The Brakes Create a Squealing Sound
A squealing sound is usually caused by the build-up of friction, and this friction is created when the brakes are rubbing against each other. This can be caused by the pads, brake rotors, and even the callipers. When this happens, it is a sign that the car needs its brakes to be replaced. Otherwise, not only will the squealing stay, but the brake’s ability to stop the car may get compromised.
2. The Brakes’ Warning Lights Come On
If your car’s brakes have an indicator to show if the brakes are working properly or not, that’s a sign that the car should be brought in for servicing. A lot of cars with advanced braking systems may have a dashboard warning light to let you know about your car’s braking system. For example, a check engine light comes on when you engage the brakes. However, there are also brakes that may use a sign from the ABS braking system to indicate that the brakes may be in bad condition.
3. The Car Doesn’t Slow Down When You’re Braking
This is a very common issue that causes people to think that the car needs new brakes, but there is a good chance that it’s just something else. For example, the problem may be that the brake pads need replacement. The brake pads can either be too thin or too worn out for the system to react when you’re braking. This can be caused by the not-so-efficient frictional braking or by an uneven braking pattern. But whatever it may be, the brakes won’t be the problem.
4. The Brake Pads Are Less than 3MM Thick
Once in a while, you should visually inspect your brakes. If you notice that the brake pads are thinner than 3mm, that’s a warning sign. It means that the brakes are on their way out. So, the best thing to do is to take your car to an auto repair shop and have your brakes checked. This can be done by taking a look at the thickness of the brake pads. The optimal brake pad thickness is between 3mm and 4mm. If the pads are less than 3mm, it’s time to change the brake pads.
Conclusion
We hope that this article has helped you determine when to change the brakes on your car. This can be a very expensive part to replace, but if you damage the car further by not replacing the brakes, the cost will only shoot up! So, by taking your car to a good auto repair shop, you can get your brakes replaced with quality parts at a price that’s affordable and ensure the rest of the vehicle is safe.
Limitless Tires is a high-volume tire shop offering fast services that include auto repair, inspection, ECU tuning, and more. If you are looking for auto repair services in Calgary to fix your brakes, get in touch with us today!