Signs of Brake Failure

Few parts of your car are as important to the safety of you and your family as your brakes. Brakes are what allow you to stop for red lights, stop signs and the occasional deer. While total, instant brake failure is certainly possible, it is far more likely that your brakes will give you fair warning that something is the matter. Learning to recognize these signs can save you money at the shop and will help you keep your car safe.

Squeaks

Brakes are designed with safety in mind. As the brake pad is worn down, it will eventually reach the "squeak" layer. This layer of the brake pad is engineered to make a high-pitched squeaking sound and alert the driver that it is time for a brake replacement. While you can certainly drive for a while on squeaky brakes, it is best to get them replaced as soon as possible to prevent damage to your vehicle.

Grinding

If you run your brakes into the ground, you will likely experience a grinding feeling when the brakes are applied. This is the raw metal of the brake pad colliding with your brake disc. In addition to making harder to slow down, this will cause massive damage to the discs and rotors. The cost for replacing your brake pads is relatively low compared to the cost of new discs and rotors.

Pedal Issues

If you hit your brakes and the pedal sinks all the way to the floor, you should get your brakes checked immediately. The same goes for brakes that need to be "primed" or pumped in order to operate. These are signs of a failure in the brake line or other vital component and could lead to an accident if not treated as soon as possible.

Pulsing and Pulling

If you hit the brakes and it feels like your brakes are pulsing across a bumpy surface, it is entirely possible that your discs or rotors are warped. This is a clear indicator that something is going wrong. Additionally, if your vehicle pulls hard to one side or another when you press the brake pedal, you are likely experiencing some sort of brake failure on one side of the car. Have the brakes checked by a mechanic immediately.