Brake Repair - When You Should Look For Help

When it comes to your car, your brakes are not something to mess around with. Having a car that will not stop reliably is dangerous, to put it mildly. You are actually putting your life at risk if your car is not stopping, as it should, not to mention the lives of those on the road with you. However, knowing when it is time for brake repair is not always as simple as you might want it to be. Some problems with your brakes are not dangerous, while other seemingly insignificant details can lead to big, big problems.

Strange Sounds

One of the primary reasons people visit their mechanic for brake repair is a strange noise coming from the brakes. Squeals and squeaks are actually quite common and usually not a danger. These indicate that the brakes are getting "broken in" over time, but they rarely mean a serious problem. Of course, you can have them checked out if you feel the need to, but you do not have to rush to the mechanic's shop.

Grinding sounds, on the other hand, do indicate a serious problem. If your brakes are grinding, get to the mechanic as quickly as possible. This is a potentially dangerous situation caused by metal rubbing against metal, and you do not want to let it go to long. Scraping sounds may also indicate this type of problem, so you should have your brakes looked at if you hear scraping.

Problems with the Pedal

When something is off with your brakes, you may notice that the braking pedal doesn't feel quite right. For instance, it may begin to feel "soft," or you may have to depress it much further than normal in order to stop the vehicle. If you notice these problems, you need to have your car in for brake repair. The further you have to push the braking pedal to stop the vehicle, the longer your reaction time. If you push it to the floor, you will eventually come to a place where you cannot push the pedal any further, and the car will no longer stop. If your braking pedal doesn't feel quite right, you are better off having it looked at than allowing a potential emergency to occur.

Taking Too Long to Stop

If you notice that your car is taking longer than normal to stop in normal driving conditions, have the brakes looked at. There are many reasons this could occur, but you do not want to let the problem sit for too long and end up in a situation where your vehicle will not stop in an emergency.

Problems with the ABS System

If your vehicle is turning on the ABS system when it shouldn't, you will notice your brakes gripping and releasing during a normal stopping situation. This is definitely a time for brake repair. You want your ABS system working properly, especially when you start driving in difficult weather situations. Similarly, if you feel your brakes are "grabbing," then have them looked at. It is always better safe than sorry when working with your vehicle's brakes.