How to Know When Your Brakes Are on Their Last Leg
Did you know that, according to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, more than 34,000 people die in the United States every year as a direct result of auto accidents? More often than not, these accidents are the result of drunk driving, excess speed, or the negligence of others. Unfortunately, many of these accidents are also caused by failed auto brake parts.
Luckily, unless there is some sort of foul play involved, brakes don’t just fail, whether they’re discount brake parts or premium parts. There are definite things you can be on the lookout for to tell when and if your brakes are on their last legs. If your brakes are showing any of these warning signs, don’t wait around to get the problem fixed.
Three Definite Signs Your Brake Pads and Brake Rotors Aren’t Going to Last
- Your Brake Pads Are Paper Thin
- When You Push the Brakes, It Sounds Like a Bear is Roaring
- They’re Less and Less Effective as the Days Go By
As HowStuffWorks writes, one of the easiest ways to tell when it’s time to start looking for discount brake parts to replace your current brake pads is by getting under the car and looking at the state of your brakes. Simply look at the pads, sandwiched between the rotors and the calipers, and check their thickness. If they’re less than a quarter of an inch in thickness, it’s definitely time to replace them.
As the consumer interest and research firm J.D. Power suggests on its blog, your brakes shouldn’t really make any noise at all when you’re using them to slow down. Subsequently, if you hear a grinding noise or a sharp scraping sound when you depress your brake petal, chances are your brake pads are worn down to nothing, or your rotors are about ready to explode. Either way, these signals mean it’s time to look into discount brake parts and get your brakes fixed ASAP.
The clearest sign that things are going wrong with your brakes is, of course, reduced efficacy. If you notice that you have to consistently push your brakes farther and farther down until they’re almost touching the floor as the days go by just to slow down or completely stop your car, your brakes are just about at the point where they aren’t going to be able to stop you from running into things. Get them checked out — pronto!
Are you a mechanic? What are some of the other signs that it’s probably time for brake rotors replacement? Share your expert advice with us in the comments below.