The brakes are one of the essential systems in the car. Without brakes, you cannot stop a moving car. This is the reason that most accidents happen on the road because of brake failure. The braking system works on braking pads and rotors. The brake pads usually last around 40,000 miles on average. On the other hand, the rotors operate twice as brake pads.
Well, if your car is making squeaking and squealing, vibrating, and wobbling on applying brakes, then you should not be ignoring these symptoms. These are the main symptoms of bad brakes or brake failure. Hence, you should get them changed at once because you cannot risk yours and other’s life on the road.
How Often Should You Replace the Brake Pads
When you take your vehicle for regular service such as oil changing, tuning, alignment, etc. your mechanic might inform you that the brake pads are not in good condition and you should get them changed at once. When the lining of the brake pads reaches the 3 mm to 4 mm range, your mechanic will ask you to change the brake pads.
To understand the thickness of the brake pad, you should know that the brand-new brake pads have linings of 12 mm. During the first half-life span of brake pads, you are carefree. But when the linings of brake pads reach 5 mm thickness, you should be careful about your vehicle’s braking system.
The brake pad is having a metal burr. It contacts with the rotor at 3 mm. If it causes a squeal, then it is a sign that you should be changing the brake pads. You cannot ignore the squeal because it further damages the rotors because of scoring and overheating.
Finally, the brake pads warp around the rotors. If you change the brake pads earlier, then you will save the extra cost for rotors and other damaged braking systems.
Monitoring Brake Pads
It is good to monitor the brake pads when you have not changed them for a long time. When you go for an oil change service, the mechanic will automatically check the brake pads. As they provide additional services, if your brake pads need to be changed, he will change them. On the other hand, if brakes are still in the first half-life span, then he will tell you about the estimated miles you can use the brake pads.
After you have driven the car for estimated miles, on the next oil change or maybe more than two oil changes, you can get the brake pads to check. If they need to be replaced, you should get them changed at once. For example, the brake pad linings after 11 months of use were 7 mm, then you are still in the safe zone.
Even though you have driven 23,000 miles, and the brake pads are in good condition then they can work properly for more than 10,000 miles.
How Long the Brake Pad Take to Wear Out
The wearing out of brake pads depends on the driving habits, condition of the roads, and material of the brake pad linings. If you drive the car at higher speeds and apply brakes at the last second, then the brake pads can wear out quickly. On the other hand, if you have been driving the car in a town where you have stop-and-go traffic, the brake pads will wear out too soon.
If you live in a mountainous country, then going downhill with constant braking will wear out the brake pads and linings too soon. If you drive your car on the highway, then the brake pads wear out slower than the town driving or mountain driving.
The brake pads are made of different materials such as soft, cheap, organic pads. They wear out faster and you have to replace them more than often. The better choice would be ceramic and metallic brake pads. Metallics wear out more heavily on the rotors, while ceramic brake pads last longer, but they can be costly.
Glazed Brake Pads Are Unsafe
The glazed brake pads are dangerous because of overheating and little friction. As a result, they don’t stop the vehicle at the required time and distance. This happens when you apply a hard brake or apply the brakes for a longer period such as coming down the hill.
The glazed brake pads have a crystal appearance with a smooth and shiny surface. When you notice that the vehicle is not stopping at the right distance, then you should get them changed as soon as possible.
Brake Pad Care
If you want to make the brake pads last longer then you should avoid sharp and sudden braking. Instead of stopping your vehicle right at the rear bumper of the front car, remove your foot from the gas pedal and apply slow brakes. If you maintain safe speed then you don’t have to apply brakes more than often.
If you are having unnecessary gear in your car, then you should remove it to lighten the load in the car. As a result, you will be having a better fuel average but most importantly, saving the brakes from wearing out too soon. When you have an extra load in the car, the braking system uses more force to stop the car. Hence, the brake pads wear out quickly.
When it comes to parking the car, you should be using your garage to save your car and brake pads from the heat. Another factor that wears out the brake pads quickly is heat and it happens while driving with consistent braking, like coming down the hill.
Also, to keep the brakes performing at a high level, clean the rotors frequently. When the dirt gets stuck in the brake system, it causes more friction and wears out the brake pads.
Life Span of Brake Rotor
The metal discs, also known as rotors are the main component of the brake system. When brakes are applied, they bring the wheels to a halt. The rotors are usually long-lasting and more durable than brake pads. If you are having a modern car, you might replace them once or twice in the lifespan of your car. But if the driving habits and conditions are wild, then you might be changing rotors with brake pads.
When pads and rotors release heat after brakes, the rotors can warp or glaze over. If it happens, the glazed rotors can give you a shaking steering wheel while applying brakes. If you are having a common brake problem, then you can get the rotors resurfaced. Hence, the life span of rotors will be prolonged and they will work effectively.
Brake Pads Replacing Symptoms
When you go for an oil change, ask the mechanic to look for the thickness of the brake pads. If it is just half of the brand-new pads then you don’t have to worry about brakes for a while. if you heat the scraping and squealing noise then you should replace them.
It happens when the small metal hair at the bottom of the brake pads wears out. Hence, they are not grippy as before. On slow brakes or hard brakes, you have jittery braking, then get the rotors resurfaced or replaced with the new ones.
Changing Brake Pads More Often – Avoid Hard Braking Habits
The braking system is one of the important systems in a car. The history of brakes and amazing evolution has brought various braking features that now you don’t even have to pull the brake pedal (Automatic Brakes). While driving a car, you notice that your car is stopping with a delay and more distance, then you should get the brake pads checked. If you ignore it for miles, you might be a hazard on the road for others.
Brake pads wear out in different conditions such as driving habits and road conditions. Driving on a highway saves your brake pads and they don’t wear out quickly. If you are driving in a mountainous region or town with traffic, you are more likely to replace the brake pads with less driven miles.
