When do brakes need replacement?
Maintenance plans offer more extensive coverage options and are generally suitable for higher mileage or expensive cars that might carry heavy part replacement costs.
There should be no compromise when it comes to the maintenance of your car’s brakes.
To state the obvious, failure to ensure brakes are always in optimum working order could put your life and those of others at risk.
Although mechanics evaluate brakes during routine services, they can be damaged in a number of ways and there are a few early warning signs to look out for.
It is also worth remembering that no auto-plan is alike and there can be significant differences in coverage between service and maintenance plans, as explained by MotorHappy sales director, Johnny Pretorius.
“Most car maintenance plans include wear and tear parts such as brake pads in their offerings. Service plans include the inspection of brakes and topping up brake fluids, but not the replacement of wear and tear parts,” he said.
Maintenance plans offer more extensive coverage options and are generally suitable for higher mileage or expensive cars that might carry heavy part replacement costs.
Depending on your plan, it makes it all the more important to know what to listen or feel for when you suspect your brakes might be nearing their end.
Do I need to replace my brakes? Three things to look out for:
1. The car shakes when you stop. This could indicate an issue with the rear brakes. You can usually tell if it’s your rear brakes by gently applying pressure to the hand brake.
2. Your car makes a noise when you stop. The noise that you hear is caused by a component called a wear indicator which is attached to most brake pads. The initial warning squeal means that you have time to make it safely to a mechanic for repair.
3. Your steering wheel shakes when applying pressure to the brakes. This symptom occurs to practically any make or model of car if there’s an issue with the brakes. The steering wheel shakes because of warped front rotors. In many cases, this can indicate that your brakes need servicing rather than full replacement and can be dealt with through pad refinishing. However, if the issue is caused by rust, then a full brake replacement may be required.
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