Do You Need New Brakes?

Signs that You Need New Brakes

If it has been a while since you got your Pennsylvania brakes checked, it may be a good idea to look for some of the most common signs that they are wearing out. Remember, the last thing that you ever want in a vehicle is for your brakes to fail entirely. You must do regular maintenance – or bring the car in to someone who can do it for you – to keep them in good shape. Brakes simply wear out over time, as you use them, so this is something that you should expect when thinking about the cost of ownership of your vehicle.

1. A scarping noise when you brake. 
This is the most obvious sign that the brake pads are wearing out. There is a metal bar built into each pad. When you get through most of the pad, it starts scraping every time that you use the brakes to tell you that the pads are low. They will still work, sometimes for weeks, so do not think you have to run in and get them changed the next day. However, this is your indicator that you need to act in the very near future, before you wear all the way through the pads and the rotors begin to wear out as well. That would be way more expensive.

2. Decreased performance. 
Another indicator can just be brakes that seem to take longer to stop the car. Does the pedal feel a bit too “soft” when you push it down? Does your car seem to reluctantly slow down, even when you slam on the brakes, rather than jerking to a stop? The brakes may still technically work, but things like this can show you that you need to have them worked on so that you get optimal performance.

3. Leaking fluid. 
Hydraulic brakes use fluid inside your car when they function, and there are lines and containers that hold and transport this fluid. If one of them gets punctured, the fluid could leak out and the brakes would be unable to function at all. If fluid leaks and you think it may be brake fluid, have them checked immediately.