Brake Inspection and Repair Should Be Part of Your Car Maintenance Schedule
Posted 11/07/09
Brake repair is really just one form of car maintenance. Brakes should operate quietly when at their best, but since brakes have to wear down in order to work properly, those telltale sounds that signal the need for brake repair are actually letting you know that your brakes have done their job and need a bit of a tune up. Brakes tend to do this in a few different ways. A brake light that goes on when the parking brake is disengaged indicates that your brake fluid level is too low. A brake fluid leak manifests itself by sight (a light amber color) and a smell that is distinctive. Rotor surface issues cause vibrations of the brake pedal or wheel. If in need of repair, your brakes may also squeal until you come to a full stop or when you release the brake pedal. That means that your brake wear indicators may be scraping against the rotors. A grinding and growling sound of metal on metal means that the brake pads are completely gone.It is advisable to have a certified brake repair technician inspect your brakes on an annual basis, twice a year if you regularly do heavy hauling and towing work. Your brake repair technician should also inspect all metal to metal contact points to be sure that they are properly lubricated (and maintaining an effective barrier between the contact points) and inspect your brake fluid to be sure that there is no contamination from metal flakes or moisture. Contaminated fluid damages essential braking components. And speaking of fluids, it is recommended that you not top your brake fluid off whenever the level goes down. Too much fluid prevents the brakes built in alert system from working when the pads wear down.
Tires should also be rotated every 5,000 to 7,000 miles to keep them from wearing unevenly. Brakes need tires to be in optimal condition in order to do their job. While the brakes stop the wheels, it is the friction created when rubber meets the road that actually stops the whole car. Your brakes ultimately will not stop your car properly if your tires are uneven.