Everyone knows the importance of a car’s brake which impedes you from a collision. People also know that checking your brake regularly will save a large amount of money spent if it encounters some sudden breakdown. However, most of us pay little or no attention at all to this life guardian.

Below, we make a list of 10 signs that tells you your brake may encounter some problems so that you know when to bring your car to repair service and steer away from accidents.

1. Squealing sound

This piercing sound is sourced from the worn-out brake pads. The reason is that when the brake pad wears down, friction will be produced as the result of the squeal pins located at side of the pad and the disk rubbing against each other.

2. Steering wheel vibrates when stopping

The cause of this is a wrapped or bad brake disk. The grooves rub against the brake pad and cause vibration which spreads to the steering wheel every time you use your brake.

The grooves rub against the brake pad and cause vibration which spreads to the steering wheel

3. Noisy metallic sounds

When the pads become completely worn out, every time you use the brake, there will be a noisy metallic sound which comes from the caliper and the disc rubbing each other. If you just let them be, the rubbing will soon scratch off the surface of the rotors and make it uneven. In this case, you need to have your rotors evened out or, unluckily, replaced.

When the pads become completely worn-out, every time you use the brake, there will be a noisy metallic sound

4. Widened braking distances

This happens as the braking system encounter a fault which may be from the brake fluid or brake pads or air getting into the system.

5. Prolonged pedal travel.

This will happen when the brake fluid come too low and insufficient or there is air bubble getting into the system.

6. The car pulls to one or another side while stopping

Faulty calipers in the braking system pull your car to one side every time you apply the brake.

7. The emergency brake goes weak

8. Reeking of a terrible smell when applying hard stops

9. Brake “fade”

This happens when the brake pads are overheated. This will lead to the loss of power of your brake.

10. Inability to stop

This will be caused by a general fault somewhere in the system. Possible causes include low brake fluid, a leak in the brake system and the brake master failure.