Introduction

Brakes are the one part of your car you never want to find out about the hard way. The good news is that worn brakes almost always warn you before they fail. The trick is knowing what those warnings sound and feel like.

Here are the seven signs our Midland mechanics tell customers to watch for, and what each one usually means.

1. A high pitched squeal when you brake

Most brake pads have a small metal wear indicator built in. When the pad material wears down to a certain point, that tab makes contact with the disc and produces a squeal designed to be annoying enough that you act on it.

A quick squeak on a damp morning is normal. A squeal that appears every time you brake is not.

2. A grinding or scraping noise

Grinding usually means the pad material is gone and disc is now running against metal backing of the pad. At that point you need to replace your brakes pads & discs as soon as possible.

If you hear grinding, book the car in straight away rather than waiting for the next service.

3. The brake pedal feels soft or spongy

A pedal that sinks further than usual, or feels vague underfoot, often points to air or moisture in the brake fluid, or a leak somewhere in the system. This one is not a wear item you can monitor. Get it checked promptly.

4. The car pulls to one side when braking

If the steering wheel tugs left or right under braking, it can mean uneven pad wear, a sticking brake caliper, or a problem with the suspension and steering rather than the brakes themselves. Either way, it changes how your car behaves in an emergency stop.

5. Vibration or shudder through the pedal

A pulsing pedal or a shudder through the steering wheel when you slow down usually means the brake discs have warped or worn unevenly.

We see this often in vehicles that regularly come down Greenmount Hill or tow a caravan or boat, because sustained heavy braking builds a lot of heat. If you tow, brakes deserve more attention than average, not less.

6. The brake warning light is on

Depending on the vehicle, this can mean low fluid level, worn pads, or a fault in the braking system. It is never a light to drive around with for a fortnight.

7. Longer stopping distances

If you find yourself pressing harder or leaving more room than you used to, trust that instinct. Gradual changes are easy to adjust to without noticing, which is exactly what makes them risky on a wet Roe Highway in the middle of winter.

How often should brake fluid be replaced?

Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time, which lowers its boiling point and reduces braking performance under heat. Most manufacturers nominate a replacement interval measured in years rather than kilometres, and it is commonly around every two years, though it varies by make and model.

Your logbook is the authority here. If you are not sure what yours specifies, we can check it for you.

Can I just replace the pads and leave the discs?

No. Replacing just the pads (called a ‘Pad slap’ in the trade) is likely to cause you more problems in the long run than it is worth.  Fitting new pads to badly worn or warped discs tends to bring the noise and vibration straight back, so it is a false economy. Then only way to fix the noise/ shudder/ vibration is to replace both  the pads & discs again.

We measure the discs during a brake inspection and tell you honestly which option applies to your vehicle.

What affects how quickly brakes wear?

Brake life varies enormously, and anyone who quotes you a fixed kilometre figure is guessing. What we can tell you is what shortens it:

• Stop start commuting rather than open road driving
• Towing a caravan, boat or trailer
• Regular hill descents through the Perth foothills
• Carrying heavy loads
• Gravel, dust and corrugations from off road driving
• Riding the brake pedal out of habit

Two identical cars in Midland can need brakes at very different intervals depending on how and where they are driven, which is why inspection beats assumption.

Book a brake inspection at ABS Auto Midland

If anything above sounds familiar, do not wait for the next service to find out. Our team inspects your brakes, measures pad and disc wear, checks fluid condition, and gives you a written report showing exactly what we found and what needs doing.

You get the facts, the cost, and the choice. No pressure and no unnecessary work.

ABS Auto Midland looks after drivers throughout Midland, Midvale, Bellevue, Swan View, Helena Valley, High Wycombe and Guildford. Call us or book online today, and keep your family safe on the road.