Brake pads are not only just critical for the longevity of your vehicle, but also for the safety of everyone in the car. Now you probably asking yours, what’s the purpose of brake pads? Well, brake pads are a key part of what slows and stop the wheel. Brake pads are the component that contacts and applies pressure and friction to your cars brake rotor. Brake Rotor is the shiny disc part that you can sometimes see behind the wheel. From the pressure and friction that the brake pads apply to the brake rotor, is what causes your vehicle wheels to slow down and come to a complete stop.

·When to Replace Brake Pads?

I want you to think about how fast a vehicle’s wheels rotate and how much a typical car or truck weighs, brake pads undergo extreme pressure every time you slow down or come to a stop. There’s no specific schedule for when it’s time to replace your brake pads, which means you would want to check it regularly to see the amount of wear and tear. A few factors that can affect your brakes pads are how you currently drive and where you drive. For example, drivers who are in an urban area, you brake pads or more likely to wear out faster than someone who drives on rural roads due to stopping and starting of city traffic.

Some common sign that it may be time to replace your pads are

·Pulsation or vibrations in the brake pedal.

·Longer stopping distances

·Your foot goes down further than normal when you apply the brakes.

Here at GP Tires & Auto Care, we would recommend that you have your brake pads checked each time you have your tires rotated. You can also check your car owner’s manual to see what do your motor company recommend. If you don’t understand what to do, that’s okay; We’ll be glad to answer any question or concerns so you could know what’s the right fit for your vehicle.

·How to check your Brake Pads?

Good news, brake pads do show signs that they do need to be replaced. Best of all, it doesn’t require that you spend hundreds of dollars on some fancy tool to tell what’s the problem. All you need is your five senses to check if your pads need to be replaced.

·Listen to your brakes: If their an issue with your brake pads, you would surely hear the problem. Brake Pads are designed to make a noise as an early warning to let you know to change them. The noise will resemble metal scraping together as your vehicle is moving. If not treated, the sounds will typically get louder the more you use your brakes.

·Look at the wheel: when looking at your wheel if you notice dust on your wheels, it’s a normal wear sign. As the brake pads wear out completely, the amount of dust on the wheels usually decreases. Cleaner wheels after previous brake dust accumulation may be a sign that your brake pads need to be replaced.

·How does your brake pedal feel: When brake pads are worn out, a vibration can often be felt in the brake pedal when braking. A vibrating steering wheel when braking may also be a sign of brake pad issues.

Now you should know what to look for if you believe that you’re having a brake issue. If you can’t determine the problem, take your vehicle to your local dealership or bring it to GP tires & auto care so one of our professional technicians can do it for you. Replacing worn brake pads doesn’t just make you save money in the long run, it helps prevent accidents that could have been avoided.