When Should You Change Your Brake Pads?

Routine car maintenance is an essential part of car ownership, helping ensure your safety and the longevity of the car. But what are some maintenance tasks that are easy to overlook? Brake pads often get overlooked until damage is done and more costly repairs are in store. So how do you know when you should change your brake pads? Are there warning signs? Let’s look at some ways to know if your brake pads are in need of replacement.

Frequency

The frequency of which brake pads need to be replaced unfortunately varies from car to car. Unlike oil changes which are recommended at specific mileage milestones, brake pads wear down based on a number of factors. The amount of type of driving you do is the biggest factor when looking at how often they need to be replaced. For drivers who commute in heavy traffic brake pads will need to be changed more frequently because their brakes are being used more. Things like elevations also impact brakes because it impacts how often you are using the brake system in the car.

Warning Signs

There are ways to determine how soon brakes need to be replaced, such as visually inspecting them, listening for sounds when braking, and by the feel of applying the brake under your foot. To visually see if brakes need to be replaced before you can hear or feel them (which is preferable) you can simply look to see how thin or thick the brake pad is. Over time brake pads wear down and become thinner, making it easier to tell when it needs to be replaced.

If you haven’t inspected your brakes recently and you begin to hear a squealing sound when you hit the brakes, they need to be replaced. After this sound becomes audible you may also begin to notice a vibration when applying the brakes. This sensation is caused by the rotors going bad, so in this case not only the brake pads, but also the brake rotors would need to be replaced.

Replacement

Routine visual inspection of the brakes is a good way to know when they need to be replaced and can help keep you and the drivers around you safe. When you begin to feel the brake pads are getting thin it is time to have them replaced. If you hear a sound coming from the brakes then they will need to be replaced as soon as possible.

If you feel your brake pads need to be replaced, or you aren’t sure what to look for, call us at Mighty Auto Pro. We offer brake maintenance in Medina, OH and are happy to get you back on the road with confidence. Give us a call or stop in today!