Maintaining your car or truck doesn't stop at changing the oil once in a while. It is important to keep up with tires, brakes, and all the wearable parts on your vehicle. One of the most important parts to change before they fail is the brakes. Knowing when to change them is not difficult, you just need to watch for a few signs. 

Loud Grinding Noises

When you step on the brakes to slow your car down, you should not hear any noise. If you are hearing a loud grinding or scraping under the car when you step on the brake pedal, you need to find out why. Grinding typically means the pads or shoes are worn down to the point that the rivets on the pads are making contact with the brake rotor or drum. If this is not corrected, the rivets will damage the drum or rotor, causing them to require repair. 

If the rotor or drum is not heavily damaged, the mechanic can turn them on a brake lathe and smooth them out so they can go back on the car. If the rotors and drums have already been turned, they may not have enough material left to turn them again, and they will need replacing. 

Brake Fade

Another indication that it is time to have the brakes serviced is a soft pedal or fading brakes. If you step on the brake pedal and it feels very mushy or the brakes seem to not respond properly, you may have an issue with the pressure or level of the brake fluid in the system. The system may have air in it but since it is a closed system, you need to have the brakes inspected. If you have a soft pedal, this may indicate a leak that is letting air into the system.

Pulling to One Side

If your car or truck pulls to one side when you push the brake pedal, you may have a problem with one side not working properly. The pulling is because the brake on that side is more effective than the opposite side and can cause handling issues that could result in an accident. 

No matter what the symptom, if your brakes are not working the way they should be, take your car into the shop and have a mechanic look at them for you. Many shops will do a free inspection and if there is something wrong, they can help get you the repairs you need. Contact your local auto service for a brake change or repair today.