DOES SQUEAKING MEAN I NEED NEW BRAKES?

So you’re pulling up to a stop sign and you hear what sounds like birds chirping coming from your car. You immediately think, “I need new brakes!” Well that’s not necessarily the case. Many brake pads are made from semi-metallic materials that make them last longer. That metal is kind of notorious for making the occasional noise but it doesn’t automatically mean you need new pads.

The noise you should be worried about is a metal-on-metal kind of screeching. That means that your pads are digging into your rotors. That is putting serious grooves in your rotor and you are causing some expensive damage. When you hear that noise, get your car in as soon as possible – you’ll save yourself hundreds of dollars. Other symptoms include:

• Vehicle pulls to one side when braking. That means you’ve got a caliper that is sticking, causing your car to swerve to the side.
• Your brake pedal pulsates when coming to a stop. That means your brakes are experiencing what is called lateral run-out, usually caused by overheating from overuse.
• Your steering wheel shakes when you hit the brakes. That means your rotors are out of round and they need to be professionally machined or replaced.

If you have any doubts about your brakes, it’s nothing to mess around with. Just Take it 2 the House anytime and we’ll inspect your brakes for free.