The brake pads and rotors are one of those parts of a vehicle that are most prone to wear and tear. Every time you hit the brakes while driving, your brake pads wear out a little bit.
Over time, the wear and tear adds up and the brake pads are worn to a point which is very close to failure.
Fortunately, most brake pads show signs of serious wear and tear well before their actual failure point. Ignoring these signs can put the safety of all the passengers in your vehicle at risk. Not to forget, it also puts the safety of other drivers and pedestrians on the road at risk.
In this article, we will be discussing all the signs of wear and tear of brake pads that a driver can easily notice. If you do, you can simply order the brake rotors and pads online and get a professional mechanic to replace your worn down brake pads.
Let us look at the common signs of brake pad damage/wear and tear:
Vibrations In The Brake Pedal
If your brake pedal sends our subtle vibrations when you apply brakes, it is a sign of damaged brake rotors.
The rotors are responsible for ensuring the brake pads are able to uniformly grab the surface. When this doesn’t happen, vibrations are generated that can be felt in the brake pedal.
In most cases, damage to the rotors is caused when the brakes are used straneously for extended periods of time. The most common instance of such damage being inflicted on the rotors is when drivers have to continuously apply brakes while driving downhill.
Screeching Noises
Screeching noises are a sign of mild damage to your brake pads. However, if you only hear a screeching noise on a few occasions, the reason might be rust deposit on the brake disk.
If you hear the screeching noise for prolonged periods of time, it indicates that your brake pads have started to wear out and should be replaced.
Grinding And Growling Noises
Grinding and growling noises are a sure shot sign of serious damage to the brake pads of your vehicle. Such sounds are usually produced when two metal surfaces grind together. When the brake pads have completely worn out, the calipers holding them in place start grinding against the metal brake disk.
Driving for a long duration with such sounds can cause serious damage to the entire braking system of your car, including the rotors and the brake disk.
Car Pulling To One Side When Brakes Are Applied
This is another sign of wear and tear of the brake pads. If you car pulls to one side when you apply the brakes, it usually means that the brake pads of one side have somehow undergone more damage than their counterparts on the other wheel.
If, however, your car pulls to one side even when the brakes are not applied, then the issue might be with the wheel alignment or balance.
Brake Pads Producing Excessive Brake Dust
Brake dust is the black residue that is generated when the brake pads grind against the brake disk. It is normal for all vehicles to produce at least some amount of brake dust.
However, if you notice an unusually large amount of brake dust being deposited on your wheels, there might be an issue with your brake pads.
If this is the case, you may need to get your brakes checked from a professional before the wear and tear reaches a critical stage.
Conclusion
Before wrapping up, we would like to once again stress upon the importance of checking for damage on your brake pads. Remember, they aren’t just an operational part of your vehicle, but also its most important safety feature.
