5 Signs Of A Bad Braking Pad

Braking pads are one of the most critical components of a car. They go through major wear and tear and are highly responsible for keeping you safe.

Even upon a minor failure, your safety is pushed towards a high-risk scenario. Hence, detecting a deteriorating braking pad is one of the best things that you can do to ensure the safety of yourself and anyone who travels in your vehicle.

However, unless and until you know a few specifics about them, detecting such failure will be a daunting task.

So here are a few pointers to help you out with this situation:

1. The dashboard brake light is on

Modern vehicles have much better integration with technology. Most of the vehicles are synced with the cloud, to not only turn the dashboard lights on but also drop the notification via your smartphone application. So when they alert you about any mishappening, then you should absolutely not ignore it.

The dashboard brake light turns on when there is something wrong with the braking system. So, if you see the alert light flash, be quick to inspect your brakes.

2. Frequent Squealing sound

A car is a complex machine. And any mechanical component is bound to go through rigorous wear and tear upon functioning.

Brake pads are one of the most worked around components. Whenever you apply pressure to that brake pedal, the brake pads exert pressure on the brake motor to bring your car to halt.

Over time, the pads accumulate dust and settle on the distorted and worn out areas.

So when you press the brake pedal and there is friction between the brake pads and the brake motor, you’ll hear a squealing sound.

And if that sound persists, consider going for an automotive repair in Holland to replace it entirely.

3. Abnormal vibration

The problem with worn brake pads or warped rotors is that they can cause extravagant vibrations when you press the brake pedal.

And if you ignore it even for a small bit of time, it will end up damaging your braking system. Along with damaging the braking pads, these abnormal vibrations exert uneven pressure on other components of the vehicle. So, not only the brake pads are affected but there is a high chance that other components will go through failure sooner or later.

Upon experiencing this vibration, make sure that you have a thorough vehicle check-up.

You can change the brake pads yourself, if you’re a DIY person. With careful consideration of course!

4. Thinning

Regular cleaning is one of the best practices. And if you follow it, you’re at an advantage. Upon cleaning your car, if the brake pads appear thinner than usual from behind, give it a more careful inspection.

Either they might’ve deteriorated due to prolonged use or there might be some component exerting extra pressure, which may have accelerated the friction and its thinning.

They can cause major brake failure if not changed on time.

Just to be sure, check the car manual and the official car manufacturer’s site to know the exact lifecycle of a braking pad. This will help you make a better decision!

5. Late response

It is one of the easiest and most common ways out there to detect a bad braking pad. If you apply pressure to the brake pedal with all your might and still your car takes a few seconds to come to a halt, something is not right.

Such brake pads need to be inspected immediately. Either they are out of juice or have passed their limit.

So, if you feel this has been happening consistently, it’s time to give those brake pads a new life.