5 Signs You Need to Get Your Brakes Fixed

Every component of your vehicle is important, and your brakes are one of the essential parts. One way to ensure your brakes are in good condition is to learn about the signs telling you that your brakes need repaired.

1. Strange Sounds

One sign that your brakes need to be fixed are strange sounds. Sounds can mean all sorts of things, but some sounds are due to bad brakes. You might hear a metallic squeal as you’re driving.

If the sound stops when you apply your brakes, then your brake pad indicators are likely telling you it’s time to change them. The metallic squealing will be pretty high pitched, so it’s hard to miss. If you hear grinding when you press on your brakes, then this could be telling you that your brake pads are gone. If you can’t tell, then just take your car to a specialist to be as safe as possible.

1. Wobbling or Vibrations

Get a feel of your steering wheel. If you notice some vibration when you press down on your brakes, it might be time to take your vehicle to have the brakes inspected. Experiencing vibration when you press down on the brakes could mean a bad rotor.

When you press down on your brakes, the pads go into action, slowing down your vehicle. This happens because your pads squeeze the rotors, which is how you slow down. At some point, after all that friction, your rotors are going to go out. That’s okay; you just have to get them fixed. A rotor problem could also cause a wobbly feeling, so keep that in mind, too.

1. Brakes Feel Soft

Another thing you don’t want to feel is soft brakes. If you press down on your brakes, and for some reason, they don’t feel as firm as they normally do, you may have a problem. Pay attention to how your brakes feel when they are in good condition so that you can tell if they’re losing some power.

This problem is most likely due to a brake fluid leak. The brake fluid creates the pressure your brakes need to work their magic, but leaks can develop at any time. If you feel like there might be a soft brake problem, then make sure you schedule your appointment with an expert as soon as possible.

1. Car Pulling to One Side

If your vehicle pulls to one side when your braking, then you may have a braking problem. The problem is likely due to a brake hose that’s faulty for some reason. Of course, it could also be a bad caliper that’s forcing the other caliper to apply more pressure than normal.

This unbalanced pressure could be causing your vehicle to pull to one side when your braking. Whatever the reason you are experiencing this, you need to address it as soon as possible. This issue could be putting you and other drivers in danger.

1. Burning Scent

Brakes can overheat, which is something some people don’t know. This can happen if you forget to release your parking brakes or if you had to do several hard brakes as you drove. If you start to smell a burning smell coming from your tires, you need to stop as soon as possible. Well, any burning smell should be treated as an emergency.

When you stop, you can check if you left the parking brakes on or let your brakes cool down. If you don’t allow them to cool down, then you could suffer brake failure and you don’t want that. If you see smoke coming from your tires, then the issue could be an obstructed caliper. At this point, you’ll have to have your vehicle towed to a trusted brake repair shop rather than keep driving.

Now, you’ve got the signs revealing if your brakes are bad, but there are others. For example, if you can’t remember the last time you had your brakes checked, then it’s probably time.