Brake Repair: 3 Signs You Need to See a Professional
Your brakes are one of the most important elements of your vehicle. And to keep you and your loved ones safe, you want to be sure they’re working properly at all times.
Nothing’s like getting in your car and taking a ride at a moment’s notice. Yet,
if everything isn’t working as it should be, especially when it comes to brakes, there could be a problem. There a few common signs that may need to get brake repair. Explore what they are below.
Screeching noises
If every time you stop your car, you hear a loud screeching noise, you may want to consider your safety. While this is not to say that screeching always means something’s wrong, it just means you need to get it checked out and get brake repair if needed. Sometimes, the material the brakes are made of can cause noise. That’s because many car companies are trying to make the parts more durable and this means they use metal shavings. These shavings can extend the life of the parts, yet there’s friction when the parts come together which causes noise. While, annoying, there’s nothing to worry about. However, seeing a professional to determine whether it’s the material or a more serious problem is key, since you don’t want to ride around with brake pads that are completely worn down.
Warning light
Another sign that you may need to see a brake repair professional is if you continually get warning lights. This can be a result of various things. One of the most common is the lack of brake fluid. This fluid helps keep your entire system working properly, since it “pushes” everything along. Yet, if it’s low, it cannot do its job, which can cause your entire system to fail which would be disastrous. Usually, once you fill the fluid tank, the light will go off. If it doesn’t, there may be something else wrong, like a leak. Another reason why you may get a warning light is due to your parking brake. This could mean the lever is up, or maybe it needs adjusting. However, it’s important to remember that it’s usually normal for the red light to come on when you do pull the lever up to keep your car from rolling back; mainly necessary for people with manual transmission. It’s only when the lever it down and the light stays on when you need to be concerned. And if this is happening, check out a brake repair service immediately.
Trouble stopping
Another obvious reason that you should be concerned is if you have a hard time stopping your car. Even though you may not have gotten any sort of warning lights or heard any noise, if you cannot stop easily, that’s a serious problem. Usually, it can be hard to stop if your padding is worn down and you’re just grinding metal against metal. Also, if you don’t have enough fluid, this will also make it difficult to stop. Furthermore, if there was some type of leak that may have gotten on other important parts of the system, this could also make stopping almost impossible. So be sure to see a brake repair specialist as soon as possible to ensure you don’t put yourself at risk for a major accident.
