Did you just roll up to a stop sign, apply the brakes and hear a funny metallic sound you don’t remember hearing before? Or maybe you hear a grinding sound, but have ignored it for a few weeks now? Hopefully the latter is not the case, because it could be a serious problem with your brakes. The longer you go with a funny noise from the brakes region, the potential for a more expensive fix exists. The brakes might only new pads, but the longer the problem goes, they might need new rotors, calipers or something else.
Have the Brakes Checked Routinely
The brakes are something that can be checked often, when you have a routine maintenance check done or if you are having the tires rotated. Having the brake pads checked when the tires are off the vehicle is more accurate than when they are on the tires. The brake pads are measured to see how much is left and then you are given a percentage of how much brake pad is left.
Once the brake pads are getting down towards the 25% range, you should consider having them replaced. Once the pads get worn down below 50%, they can wear even faster. What might be 25% one week can be down to 15% in just a few short weeks. It is better to have the brakes replaced sooner rather than later, since you can then be assured you aren’t damaging other parts of the brakes.
To repair the brakes, the car is simply put up on a lift, the tires pulled off and then the brakes looked at. Depending on how many of the parts need to be replaced will determine how long the process will take. When just the brake pads need repair, then it will only take an hour or so. When you need the brake pads, new rotors and even calipers installed, it might take a half of a day to complete the job.
Brake repair can be costly, but it is not something you can go without on the car. When the brakes don’t work properly, the car won’t stop properly. A car that cannot stop when predicted will get in accidents or be scary to take out on the road. As soon as you suspect a brake problem, have it checked out by an ASE technician so you can get the problem fixed if it exists.
