Your brakes are what help your car to stop the instant you need it to stop, so when there’s something wrong with them, your safety is compromised. Choisser Automotive Services wants you to be able to recognize brake trouble quickly so that you can get the help that you need.
Your Brakes Sound Terrible
Brake noises range from normal to a little bit scary. And if you’re hearing new brake noises that are more on the scary side of the scale, you need to pay attention. It could be the wear tabs on your brake pads, but it could be something else. New noises mean that something has changed.
Or They Smell Hot
When your brakes are overworked or are leaking brake fluid onto hot brake parts, you’re going to smell it. You might smell just a hot smell, or if there’s brake fluid involved you’re more likely to smell a chemical smell. Regardless, like with the sounds, new smells are a sign that something is different and possibly not in a good way.
There’s a Brake Fluid Leak
Are you seeing brake fluid anywhere on the wheels or on the ground near the wheels? If so, that’s an indication that there’s more going on. Brake fluid is greasy and it’s usually brown in color. Seeing a leak doesn’t necessarily mean that your brakes won’t work, but it does mean that you are running the risk of getting air in the lines and losing too much brake fluid if you’re not getting the car into the shop.
Handling While Braking Is Affected
It’s really important to notice how your car responds when you use your brakes while driving. If the car pulls in one direction when you apply the brakes, that’s an issue. There could be other concerns, too, like vibrations while braking, which typically points to an issue with the rotor.
Your Brakes Fail You
No one wants to think that their brakes could fail them, but it does happen. You might experience this in the worst possible way, like when you hit the brake pedal and nothing happens, or you could experience this in small ways. Typically what happens at first is that you press the brake pedal and the brakes are slower than usual to respond. Regardless, this is a failure of your braking system and means that you need brake service immediately.
Don’t take risks with your brakes. Contact us today at Choisser Automotive Services in Davidsonville, MD if you suspect that there’s anything wrong with your brakes. We’ll diagnose the issue and let you know what your car’s brakes need.