Signs Your Brake Pads Need Replacing

Checking the brake discs of a modern car. Vehicle braking system.

Checking the brake discs of a modern car. Vehicle braking system.

For optimal safety on the road, your car needs regular maintenance. However, don’t wait to take your vehicle to a respected service center if you notice something odd. For example, learn what to look for if the brake pads go bad. Then head to Cavender Ford in Columbus, Texas.

Harder to Stop

One of the first signs of the brake pads wearing out is that it’s harder to stop your car than usual. This often happens because people apply the brakes even when they don’t need to. As an example, they press the brakes when driving down a highway. Over time, this causes the pads to contact the rotors. Eventually, you’ll notice that your car doesn’t respond to braking as it should.

Strange Clicking Sound

Depending on your vehicle type, you might also notice a strange clicking sound when you brake. Typically, the noise happens when putting pressure on the brake or taking your foot off the brake. If the pins, bolts, or clips keep the pads securely in place but begin to wobble, this sound occurs.

Squealing Noise

This sound isn’t hard to miss. That’s because it’s usually loud. At first, you might notice only a faint sound like a squeal, buzz, or scrape. However, as the brake pads worsen, the noise becomes much louder. What makes this sign of bad brake pads confusing is that often, it’ll go away after taking your foot off the brake.

A lot of newer cars have built-in wear indicators. These consist of metal tabs that make a screeching noise to notify the driver of a problem with the brake pads. Even if you drive an older car, you’ll still notice a similar sound, just not as loud.

Vibrating Brake Pedal

Here’s another indicator of bad brake pads. If you put your food on the pedal and it begins to shake, you must get your vehicle serviced immediately. In this case, the adhesive that keeps the pads in place becomes hot. However, because it’s uneven, it causes the brake pedal to vibrate when pressed. When that happens, it spreads over the rotor.

Pulling to One Side or the Other

It’s relatively common for brake pads to wear down on one side more than the other. So the front of your car may pull to the left or right when braking. So the direction your vehicle pulls to is the weaker side of the pad.

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Don’t Wait to Get Your Vehicle Checked

It doesn’t matter which sign you experience first. The minute you think there’s an issue with the brake pads, go to a reputable service center. Cavender Ford in Columbus, Texas, has a qualified team of certified technicians to help with this problem and others.

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