Signs You Need New Car Brakes

Do you hear creaking sounds when you slow down your car? Does the brake pedal feel soft and springy? There are many signs that your car needs new brakes, some more worrisome than others. To help save you time and money, here are the most common signs your car needs new brake pads, pads, drums, rotors, or calipers, and how quickly you should have each one repaired by a trained mobile mechanic.

Brakes squeal

Brake noise is very common and can mean your brakes are dirty or worn down to bare metal. If you hear a screeching sound when you stop, but the braking performance is fine, chances are good that you just need to clean your brakes. If you have drum brakes, they may also need to be adjusted if the self-adjustment is not working properly. However, if the squeak is very loud and almost sounds like a squeak, it's probably because your brake pads or pads are worn down to metal and are scratching the rotor or drum.

Brake pedals are soft

Lack of brake pressure can be intimidating since it takes more pedal travel and often a longer distance to stop to bring the car to a stop. This can be the result of leaking calipers, brake cylinders, brake lines, or air in the brake system.

steering wheel shakes when braking

These common problems don't always mean the brakes are bad - they're usually just deformed. Steering wheel shaking when braking is usually always a sign of a warped brake disc. They can be fixed by machining or "turning" the rotor, but the longer you wait, the more likely it is that a complete brake disc replacement will be required to fix.