Brakes
Seven signs your brakes need service now
Brakes tell you they are worn long before they fail. Here is what each noise and feel actually means.
· 7 min read
The seven signs
1) A high squeal at low speed — the wear indicator is touching the rotor. 2) Grinding — the pad material is gone and metal is cutting your rotor. 3) Pulsation in the pedal — rotor thickness variation. 4) A soft or sinking pedal — air or a fluid leak in the hydraulic system. 5) Pulling to one side under braking — a sticking caliper or collapsed hose. 6) Longer stopping distance. 7) A brake warning light.
Grinding, a sinking pedal and a brake warning light are safety-now items. The rest are service-soon.
Why it matters
Pads are the cheap part. Once you are grinding, you are buying rotors as well, and a caliper that overheats from riding a worn pad turns a two-part job into a four-part job.
What it costs and how long it takes
Brake work is quoted per axle for your specific vehicle after we see the wear. Most mobile brake jobs are done in a single appointment in your driveway or parking lot.
Bone says: here's why
Why do brakes squeal before they grind? Because the squeal is a little metal tab put there on purpose to warn you. Ignore it and the next sound costs rotors.
Let's keep your vehicle healthy.
Tell us the vehicle, the location and what you're noticing. We'll come to your home, workplace or business.