You don’t need us to tell you how important your brakes are. If you’ve ever slammed on the brakes and thanked goodness you stopped in time, you understand how life-saving they can be. Your vehicle’s owner’s manual tells you how often you should have your brakes inspected, but if you notice any of the four things below, bring your vehicle into Primary Care Auto Repair for an early brake inspection.
1. Noise
Your brakes will make noise if they are wearing down. First, they will squeak or squeal when you engage them. The sound might be faint at first, but the older the brakes get the louder the squeak will be. If your brake pads have worn down too far, you will hear grinding noise when the brakes engage. You definitely do not want to ignore this sound because the metal-on-metal can cause further damage. Your brakes shouldn’t make noise at all. If they do, it’s time for a check-up.
2. Smell
If you notice an odd smell when you depress the brake pedal, there might be something odd going on. You will smell burning rubber once new brake pads are installed, but this odor should only last for a couple of days. Otherwise, as with noise, your brakes should not smell when engaged. One thing to keep a nose out for is a burning smell. This could mean you have a leak in your brake lines and the brake fluid is dripping onto the calipers, rotors, and pads.
3. Wobbling
Your vehicle shouldn’t wobble when you step on the brake pedal; your steering wheel shouldn’t wobble either. If either does, your brakes need an inspection. In theory, your brake parts should wear down at about the same pace, but sometimes things cause them to wear down unevenly. It could be a faulty part or a poorly manufactured part. For example, one reason why your vehicle would wobble when you tap on the brake pedal is one caliper is wearing down faster than another caliper is.
4. Veering to One Side
The above example also causes your vehicle to veer to one side when put on the brakes. Your brakes are tasked only with stopping your vehicle. They don’t play a significant role in the wheel balance or alignment. This said issues with the brakes can make it seem as if your wheels aren’t balanced or misaligned, but you will only notice the wobbling or pulling when you use your brakes. When this is the case, the cause might be a problem with your brake system rather than a tire issue.
Keep your vehicle safe with regular brake inspections at Primary Care Auto Repair in Warwick, RI. You can set up an appointment for your brake inspection by calling us today.