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Ignoring Brake Problems Places You and Your Passengers in Danger

It might seem premature, but having your brakes inspected every 15,000 miles keeps you safe. Brake problems can pop up suddenly but are generally the result of long-term wear and tear. Replacing worn parts when they need it, such as the brake pads, extends the life of your brakes and ensures they slow down and stop your car every time you depress the brake pedal. Trinity Auto Care services, repairs, and replaces all brake system types, and losing your brakes is sure to cause an accident.

Signs of Brake Problems

The sooner you address potential brake problems, the less damage and expense. For example, worn brake pads can be replaced before they warp and damage the rotors, i.e., you only have to replace the pads and not the pads and the rotors. Signs your car has brake trouble include

  • A brake light warning when the parking brake is not set
  • Grinding, scraping, squeaking, and/or squealing noises
  • Vibrating or wobbling brake pedal or steering wheel
  • Light-to-dark brown, oily fluid leaks on your garage floor
  • Airy, sinking, spongy brake pedal when you depress it
  • Vehicle pulling to the side when you apply the brakes
  • Burning that smells like chemicals when you brake

Any of these things suggest the brakes are not working as they should be, and you could lose the ability to stop your automobile. A burning smell indicates the brakes are overheating, and if you couple this with squealing, your brake fluid is boiling, and the brake pads are glazed.

Brake Trouble Equals Danger

As you can imagine, brake trouble equals danger. It’s one thing to see people lose their brakes in action movies; it’s another thing entirely if this happens to you in real life. As we said above, preventative maintenance helps to ensure that you can rely on your brakes, even if you need to stop short.

Some of the signs of brake trouble listed above indicate that you are in trouble right then and there. For example, if your brake fluid reaches a boiling point, you will completely lose your brakes. If you can smell your brakes or they feel weird in any way, it’s best to stop driving to avoid danger.

Call for a tow to Trinity Auto Care in White Bear Lake, MN, rather than continue to drive and run the risk of total brake failure. We’ll find the brake problem and fix it, so you are safe on the road.

Photo by AndreyPopov from Getty Images via Canva Pro
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