Are Your Brakes Overdue For Replacement? Here's How To Know
Posted on: 24 June 2018
It is vital that the brakes on your vehicle are in great shape all of the time in order to protect yourself and others on the road. This is why it is so important for you to understand the signs that your vehicle might be in need of an urgent brake replacement. Here are some of the signs that you are going to want to keep an eye out for.
There Is Smoke
Smoke is never something that you want to see coming out of your tires. If you do see this, pull over and turn off your vehicle, as you don't yet know if the smoke is just from metal rubbing against other metal really hard, or if there is in fact a small flame that has started. Regardless, this is a sign that you need to have your vehicle towed to your mechanic or a local brake shop, as you have either completely lost your brake pads or some part of the braking mechanism is catching on something, causing a lot of friction that should not be there.
It's Taking Longer To Stop
If you have that sudden panic because you found that it took longer or you had to brake harder in order to get your vehicle to a pull stop, you will want to have a brake specialist take a look. It could be that the brake pads are severely worn down, which means it will take longer before they connect and get the vehicle to stop.
The Brake Pedal No Longer Has Resistance
When you push down on the brake pedal, whether you are in the middle of driving or in park and trying to switch gears, you should notice a certain amount of resistance. If you are not noticing this, and instead, the brake pedal is going all of the way to the floor, you most likely have some serious trouble with your brakes. The problem could be with the brake pads themselves, or it could be that you are out of brake fluid because of a leak or a broken brake fluid line. No matter what the cause is, it is all very serious and you should not drive your vehicle until the issue is resolved. This includes driving to the brake shop. Instead, you will need to call for a tow truck and have it towed there.
If you notice any of those signs, or any others that give you cause for concern, you will want to have a brake repair expert examine everything as soon as possible.
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