When to Get Brake Repairs

How to Know When You Need New Brakes

You know that your car will need service eventually, but how can you know when it is the right time to visit the auto shop? At Jeff’s Auto Repair, we always strive to make maintenance schedules clear for our customers. If you visit our shop in Lynnwood, Washington regularly, our technicians will monitor the health of your vehicle and give you a heads up when you are approaching upcoming service, such as brake repair. But even with guidance from our experts, it’s still important that you can recognize signs of distress from your car on your own. These three things signal a problem with your braking system and should tell you that it’s time to schedule a visit with us.

Squeaking

If you’ve been behind the wheel of a car for a while, you’ve likely heard the tell-tale sign of brake wear, and maybe you didn’t even think twice about it! Loud screeching brakes are close to wearing out. You might have heard the squealing coming from another car as it pulled up at a red light next to you, or you might have heard it coming from your own car. If that’s the case, we encourage you to get brake repairs at our shop as soon as possible. Those squealing, thinning brake pads will quickly wear out and leave you with nothing to cushion the system as you slow down.

Grinding

If your vehicle’s brakes are squealing and you don’t act to get them repaired, the sound will transition into metal-on-metal grinding. This means that the brake pads are completely worn out, and there’s nothing left to cushion the calipers and discs. When that happens, every part is susceptible to severe damage. That means you’ll face higher repair costs than if you had acted more promptly. Most importantly, driving without brake pads is extremely dangerous, as they are the piece that helps the vehicle stop smoothly. Your brakes might fail without them! For your safety, we recommend getting a tow to our shop if you hear grinding sounds.

Spongy Pedal

You can use your ears to sense brake decay. You can also use your foot! Without realizing it, you’ve become accustomed to the way your brake pedal feels as you engage it. Ideally, it should feel like your pedal is quickly engaging. It shouldn’t take much pressure for the pedal to engage, resist your foot, and begin slowing down the vehicle. If you find that you’re pressing the pedal much closer to the floor to get the same stopping power, your braking system needs attention. This ‘spongy pedal’ decreases reaction time and can be a big safety concern.

If you need brake service, schedule with the local experts at Jeff’s Auto Repair in Lynnwood, Washington. We look forward to seeing you soon!