How to Tell It's Time for New Brakes? | Van's Tire Pros

Car, Truck, SUV Brake Repair

How do you know when your car’s brakes need to be repaired or replaced? Van’s Tire Pros can help you out!

Symptoms of bad brakes:

• Squealing or Grinding Noises
• Pulsating Brake Pedal
• Excessive Brake Pedal Travel
• Red Warning Light on Gauge Cluster

Brake repairs could mean replacing worn out brake pads or rotors (discs) or both. It is imperative that if you are having any of the above issues with your car’s brakes, you bring it to Van’s Tire Pros to have them inspected for wear.

Schedule an Appointment for a Brake Repair

Van’s Tire Pros employs ASE Certified mechanics and technicians, and they always communicate the issues to you, so you understand the problems. We strive to offer the best auto maintenance services and have multiple locations to serve you. Best of all, you can use our website to schedule your appointment using our 100% secure forms. All service work is protected by the Tire Pros nationwide service warranty, good at the 50,000 Tire Pros locations around the US.

---

Schedule an appointment now and save!

Schedule an Appointment for a Brake Repair

Why do so many Ohioans choose Van’s Tire Pros for brake repair? Is it because our mechanics are Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified, having completed a two-year intensive training program followed by a rigorous ASE examination? Is it because we carry an expansive list of different parts of car brakes while always striving for service perfection? Ultimately, it’s because of all these reasons and many more.

With 14 Van’s Tire Pros service locations throughout Ohio, we’re guaranteed to have the car brake components needed to get you back on the road. We know you’ll be impressed with our seasoned mechanics, experienced technicians, and a friendly and dedicated service team willing to explain every step involved in car brake system repair.

How Car Brake System Works

It’s an all-too-common mistake to think that brake types for cars only include the pads, cylinders, and calipers. However, there is an entire brake system at work that ensures you can brake safely and cleanly. This integrated brake assembly starts working the moment you apply pressure to your brake pedal.

While there are essentially two brake types for cars – disc or drum – today’s vehicles control the brakes through a hydraulic system, with your front brakes bearing more weight or force when stopping than the rear ones. That hydraulic system is activated from the moment your foot pushes down on the brake pedal, releasing pressurized hydraulic fluid from a reservoir.

The pressurized hydraulic fluid travels through a channel holding two types of cylinders, which are commonly referred to as a master cylinder and a wheel cylinder. The master cylinder has a piston that forces – or pushes – the hydraulic fluid toward four wheel cylinders – one for each of your wheels.

Once the wheel cylinders are full of fluid, the pistons within those cylinders force the calipers to apply pressure to the brake pads until they create the required friction against the brake discs to slow your vehicle down or stop it.

Understanding Car Brake Components

While understanding how the car brake system works may seem complicated, it all happens instantaneously thanks to the synchronization between multiple car brake components. Making sure those components are working properly is what the seasoned and knowledgeable team at Van's Tire Pros does every single day.

Having already explained the importance of the master cylinder and wheel cylinders, we’ll review the other different parts of car brakes within a disc brake system – which is largely seen as the most common type of brake system.

• Pads

  The brake pads are the components that apply pressure by pressing or pushing up against the brake rotors – commonly referred to as brake discs. Once this happens, friction is created, and it’s that friction that forces your car to slow down or stop.

• Rotors / Brake Discs

  Just like there are four wheel cylinders and four brake pads for each of your wheels, there are also four brake rotors/brake discs. These circular rotors work with the brake pads to slow your vehicle down or stop it once the brake pads are pressed against the rotors.

• Calipers

  It’s up to the calipers to keep the brake pads in place, so they can apply friction to the rotors to stop your vehicle. These calipers can be on either side of the rotor depending upon the type of vehicle, make, year, and brake system your vehicle has.

• Hydraulic Brake Lines and Brake Hoses

  The brake lines carry the pressurized hydraulic fluid through metal channels under your vehicle’s undercarriage to brake hoses that are attached to the brake calipers. It’s the pressurized hydraulic fluid that forces the calipers to press up against the brake rotors.

Signs that Your Brakes Need Servicing

Some telltale signs indicate your brakes probably need servicing. If you hear screeching or metal-grinding noises every time you apply pressure to your brake pedal, then it’s time to get your brakes checked. Newer vehicles often have wear or brake indicators that make a sound when the brakes need changing.

If your vehicle pulls to one side, there could be a problem with your brakes, or there could be an alignment issue. Either way, it’s best to have it checked out before the problem worsens. You may also feel a vibration when you apply the brakes or even find that you don’t feel any resistance from the brake pedal when you push down. Both are clear signs that something could be wrong with your brakes, and they need immediate servicing.

Book Your Brake Repair with Van's Tire Pros Today

At Van’s Tire Pros, our service technicians and ASE-certified mechanics have extensive experience with a wide range of different brake systems. Every day, we repair these systems on newer and older-generation heavy-duty pickups, luxury cars, sports cars, SUVs, cars, and sedans.

If you suspect that your brake systems need servicing, don’t hesitate and contact us now.