Each time you press down on the brake pedal in your car, you wear away the fluid and mechanical components of the braking system. If brake service is not performed, you will start to notice odd sounds coming from your car every time you come to a stop. Here are three braking noises that you should never tune out.  

What to Listen for When It’s Time for Brake Service

1. High-Pitched Noises

While fairly common, squealing or squeaking sounds can be traced to several brake issues. A squeal often indicates that your brake pads have worn out and need replacement. While you’re in no imminent danger, it’s better to switch out old pads and go for a brake service right away. The metal wear indicator on the brakes drags along the rotors to give you a heads up before it causes further, more costly damage to the braking system. If you’ve replaced the pads but still hear squealing sounds, this could be due to poor installation, wet road conditions, or glazing on the brake pads caused by excessive heat and friction.

2. Grinding Sounds

If you’ve ignored that squealing noise when braking, it’s only a matter of time before you hear something more troubling — a grinding sound. These harsh noises often indicate that you’ve gone through the brake pads and that the calipers are grinding against the rotors, which is metal to metal. Since this will create an uneven surface or damage to the rotors, you’ll be in for an expensive repair bill when you go for brake service.

3. Thumping Sounds

Another sound that can stump most drivers is a thumping noise from the rear of the vehicle. This happens when the brake shoes stop the car by pressing the inside of metal brake drums but hit the backing plate in the process. This causes a dull, thudding sound as the shoes miss their ‘groove.’ Rear brake drums have to be resurfaced once in a while, just like the rotors. If you’re unsure of what to do, take your vehicle in for brake service to get a detailed diagnosis.

Odd sounds coming from your vehicle’s braking system should never be ignored as they may indicate problems that could make driving dangerous or lead to pricey repairs. Don’t delay, take your car in for brake service at Anderson Automotive Repair. Based in Cincinnati, OH, their highly-skilled car repair technicians also perform tire rotation, oil change, and engine replacement for customers in and around Hamilton County. And, if your check engine light is on, they’ll run a diagnostics test free of charge. Call (513) 474-4200 or send them a message online.