Sounds Like You Need Brake Repair

Have you ever called your local mechanic or brake repair specialist, only to reveal your lack of expertise at sound charades? Unless you’re a parrot, you’ve probably achieved little more than embarrassing yourself and providing entertainment for the service professional on the other end of the line. To help you avoid providing free comic relief at your expense, here’s a list of sounds and what they might mean for your brakes.

1. Squeak, Squeak! This might sound a little bit like the high-pitched squeals of a happy child, but it actually may be your not-so-happy brakes trying to tell you they need to be repaired. They could just be complaining of the dust surrounding them or letting you know that they don’t like it when water gets in them. That issue could be caused by moist conditions, especially if you’re unable to allow your vehicle a regular indoor resting place like a garage. However, if your brakes are regularly squealing, it’s not in delight! 

It could mean that your brake pads need to be replaced. It’s best to take your car in to have its brake pads examined, so you can be sure. If you don’t get the pads replaced, you could be hearing another, more serious, sound next.

2. Screech! or Screeeeech! This might sound similar to the Squeak, squeak, sound cited above, but if you listen closely, it is different. It would not be easily confused with the happy squeals of children, but the disturbing, blood-curdling cries of a vulture. If you hear this sound when pressing on your brakes, your brakes aren’t just whining about your failure to provide them with shelter from the elements. They’re in serious pain, by this point, and their pain is likely caused by the thinning of their pads. If you wait a little longer to seek brake repair, you’ll be hearing an even less pleasant sound.

3. Crsch! This is the sound of your brakes grinding against each other, metal on metal, with no pads to cushion the blows. Not only is this sound far from music to your ears, but if you try to tune it out for even a single day, you could easily be looking at having to have your brakes, instead of just the pads, replaced. Or worse: You could soon be hearing the next sound.

4. Crash! If you would hear the screech sound before crash, you’d be hearing it from another vehicle’s brakes, rather than your own. If you wait until your brakes are totally worn out, they will no longer be able to provide you with the important service that they offer you: stopping your vehicle, on command. They will be forced to ignore your desire to respond appropriately to the stop sign, red light, or school bus stopped in front of you. Depending on type of obstacle you’ve encountered as you heard crash, you may soon be hearing the wee-oo, wee-oo of an ambulance. Or, worse, you may not be able to hear it.

So the next time your brakes make noises, listen to them. If you’re not sure what they’re trying to say, make an appointment with your brake repair professional, skip the sound charades, and let your brakes talk to them directly.