Auto Moto Blog

How Often Should You Check Your Brakes?

• Mike Reynolds
• April 13, 2024April 13, 2024
• 0

The state of your car brakes determines how safe you and its passengers are on the road. Your capacity to retain stability and manage your car during emergency situations or abrupt stops is mostly dependent on your brakes’ effectiveness. Not only is proper brake maintenance an option, but it’s also a duty. 

Properly maintained brakes extend the life of other parts of your car by minimizing wear and strain. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of entrusting your brake maintenance to professionals, ensuring safety on the road. 

Signs of wear of your car brakes

If you ever wondered how to tell if your car brakes need a repair, consider these signs of wear:

• Having to push harder on the brake pedal to come to a stop than you used to.

• Your car pulls slightly to one side whenever you brake. This can be a sign that the pads on one side are wearing down.

• Another indication that your brakes need to be checked is if you feel a vibration when braking quickly or going downhill. The vibrations may be connected to warped or damaged brake discs, which can occur if pads are not replaced in time or if the braking system is old.

• Hearing loud grinding or growling noises when you brake. This indicates that the metal components of your braking system are grinding against each other. Such a thing could seriously harm your car and require costly repairs if you don’t get maintenance done straight away. You should immediately bring your car in for servicing if you experience unusual brake sounds.

• You should also pay attention to changes in how your brake pedal feels. For example, if the pedal sinks gradually towards the floor or doesn’t feel firm when you press on it, this can indicate an issue with the internal workings of your brake system. It could be that water or air has gotten into the brake fluid, causing the system’s responsiveness to deteriorate.

• Fuel consumption is also connected to the usage of brakes. If you have a faulty brake, you may notice a higher fuel consumption than usual.

How often should you do a maintenance check of your car brakes?

A good rule-of-thumb is to have your brakes checked whenever you rotate your tires. That means probably every six months. It’s a good idea for more aggressive drivers to check their brakes more frequently, with every oil change, for example.

Until the time of routine servicing, it’s vital to stay aware of any potential warning indications from your brakes. It is recommended to have at least some type of inspection every 800 miles. Additionally, your brake system may be leaking fluid. Check under your car when it’s parked, and you may find evidence of leaking fluid if this is the case. 

Another way to make sure your brake fluid is in good condition is to check it on a regular basis. A leak could be indicated if you see that its level is low. A dark color can indicate that the fluid is contaminated. If this is the case, all that may be required is for your fluid to be flushed and replaced. We can perform this task in no time at all.

A brake test should also be planned for longer car trips to avoid unpleasant surprises along the way. For example, if you notice a vibration in the steering wheel or jerky braking, contact a repair shop immediately. The same also applies when the brake pedal has to be pressed very deeply. If you notice brake malfunction don’t procrastinate looking up a good brakes repair near me place.

Some drivers may need to have their brakes checked more often. For example, if you frequently drive in heavy traffic and have to use your brakes a lot, brake pads may wear down or other problems may develop more rapidly. Drivers who slam on the brakes hard will also cause their brake pads to wear out sooner.

Busy roads cause frequent stopping, starting, slowing and swerving, which can add extra stress on your brakes. Because of this, your brakes will probably need servicing sooner than a vehicle used in less congested areas.

What will happen if you neglect fixing your brakes in time

Driving with worn brakes can result in more severe issues. It will slow down the response time, which will make stopping harder. This is a serious risk for you and the safety of anyone nearby your car in motion. Besides that, car brakes that are in bad condition may also affect the tires, the rotors, and more parts of the braking system. This will only lead to more costly repairs, so this is why it is recommended to have a properly maintained vehicle.

Proper brake maintenance is not a matter of choice, it is an essential task. Prioritizing it can save your life, increase the lifespan of your car, save money on repairs, and provide you with a safe and worry-free driving experience.

If you are in search of a trusted car brake repair near me place in the Sacramento, California area, you can rely on Smog Mart – a skilled repair facility to have your car in top shape and take care of all your car brake maintenance needs.