News

It's pretty obvious what happens when your brakes fail. We don't want any of our customers to experience this scary and ultimately dangerous situation. Neglecting your brakes can have consequences that can put you in danger and also cost you time and money.

Your brakes use friction to slow you down, which means parts rubbing on parts, heat, and wear. In fact, your brake pads or shoes, in the case of drum brakes, are made to wear and be replaced periodically. So, no matter how well you take care of your car, or how you drive, these components have a limited lifespan.

When your friction pads get thin, a small strip of metal will start to rub on your rotors making a high pitched squealing sound. That is there to annoy you and alert you that new brake linings are required. Replacing your brake pads or shoes is a pretty easy job and can be performed quickly at relatively low expense.

If you choose to turn up the radio and ignore this high pitched squeal, the next sound you will hear is a grinding sound. If the friction material gets too thin, the rivets that hold it to the mounting plate become exposed and start cutting into your rotor or drum.  Pretty soon your rotors and drums will get grooved from the exposed rivets and you will need to add the expense of replacement to the bill.

Let that grinding go on long enough and your friction material will completely disintegrate.At this point, you will probably come into close contact with the next obstacle you encounter.

As your brakes wear out you may not even notice your stopping distances getting longer.  A worn set of brakes can take as much as sixty extra feet to stop your car, truck, SUV, minivan or commercial vehicle.  Sixty feet is three car lengths, which means you may be stopping inside the trunk of the car in front of you if you don’t realize you need that extra space.

Pads, rotors, shoes, and drums are only a small part of a much bigger system. Although less common, you should watch for some telltale signs that other components in your brake system need attention.

These may include:

• A squishy pedal or having to pump your brakes to stop efficiently

• Pulling left or right

• Pulsation in your brake pedal when slowing, especially from highway speeds

• An anti-lock or brake warning light is lit on your gauge cluster

• You've had to top off your brake fluid reservoir more than once

If you have any of these symptoms, make sure your next stop is at Van's Tires & Service. Your safety should be your first priority and any of these things can be a precursor to brake failure.

Take the time to visit Van's Tires & Service, get a clean bill of health or the brake repairs you need and the confidence that comes with knowledge and a maintenance plan that will keep you ready to stop every time the need arises.