Your car's manual provides guidelines on when you should have your brakes inspected and serviced. If you drive a lot of miles for work or if you go on a long trip, you may need brake service more often. Also, the type of driving you do affects how long brake pads last. If you use the brakes a lot for city or mountain driving, then your brakes might need to be serviced more often than the average car.

One of the important parts of brake service is putting new brake pads on. Here are three signs the brake pads are getting thin and need to be replaced. 

1. You Depress The Brake Pedal To The Floor

If you need to depress the brake pedal all the way to the floor, that's a sign the brake pads are thin and you need new pads put on. Once you get the new pads on, notice the difference in how the brake pad feels. You'll barely need to depress the pedal to get your car to stop.

Remember the feeling so you notice when you need to start depressing the pedal to the floor to get the brakes to engage. This also takes longer for your car to stop, which can be dangerous. When that happens, your brakes are probably overdue to be serviced.

2. You Hear Metallic Sounds When You Use The Brakes 

Once your old brake pads wear down enough, you'll hear metallic grinding noises. These noises happen because there is no padding left on the brake pads and metal scrapes against metal. This is the sound of damage being done to your brakes that could be expensive to repair, so you shouldn't drive when your brake pads are this bad.

Plus, it is unsafe to drive with worn-out brakes. Before the metallic sounds start, you may hear squealing noises. Newer cars are made to make noise when the brakes get thin to alert you it's time to have brake service done.

3. Your Car Shudders When You Depress The Brake

When your brake pads wear down, damage can be done to the rotors. This can cause your car to shudder, jerk, or vibrate when you press the brake pedal. That's a clear sign something is wrong with your brakes and you need to take your car to a brake repair shop right away and not continue with daily driving. In addition, when your brakes are failing, your car should notify you by flashing an error light on the dash.

Your car sends clear signals when it's time for brake service, and you shouldn't ignore them. Ideally, you'll have your brakes inspected and serviced long before your brakes start making loud noises or shuddering. Your brakes are an important safety feature, and it's possible the brakes could fail and cause an accident if you continue to drive when the brakes are bad. 

To find out more, contact brake services today.  

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