How Often Should You Get Your Brakes Checked?

Your car’s brakes are one of its most important safety features. Effective braking can make all the difference between avoiding an accident and being caught up in one, which is why you need to keep your car’s brakes in top condition. The best way to do this is by sticking to a strict maintenance routine that includes regular brake checks and replacing worn parts. Here’s a guide from the team at Classic Toyota of Tyler, Texas, on maintaining your Toyota’s brakes for the best performance.

Brake System Maintenance in Tyler

Modern brake systems rely on several components to function properly. Brake pads attached to calipers apply pressure to a rotor to bring your vehicle to a stop. The brake fluid flowing through the brake system produces this pressure. Problems with any one of these components can result in poor braking performance or even the complete failure of your vehicle’s brakes. Luckily, timely maintenance can help prevent this worst-case scenario.

Typical brake maintenance tasks include inspecting and replacing brake pads, replacing warped or damaged brake rotors, flushing and replacing contaminated brake fluid, and replacing damaged hoses. Our Toyota-certified service technicians can handle all these tasks at our service center in Tyler, Texas. You can reserve an appointment today and let us take care of the rest.

How Long Do Brake Pads Last?

We can’t give an exact answer to this common question because the lifespan of your car’s brake pads depends on several factors. If you spend a lot of time driving on busy city roads, you’ll have to brake more frequently than you would on less popular routes. As a result, you may find that your car’s brake pads wear down more frequently than if you were to spend most of your time on rural roads or highways.

Another factor to consider is the type of brake pads you use. High-performance carbon-ceramic brake pads used on sports cars and luxury vehicles can have a longer lifespan than standard brake pads, which are typically made from metal.

A good rule to follow is to have your car’s brakes checked every six months, which is about the same frequency as its routine tire rotations. Brake pads can typically last for two to three years. Having an expert technician check your car’s brake system regularly allows them to monitor potential problems and act before the damage gets too serious.

For example, if you fail to change your car’s brake pads in time and they wear down completely, it can damage the calipers and brake rotors. These auto parts are much more expensive to replace than brake pads.

How Do You Know When Your Car’s Brakes Need Checking?

Even if you don’t know much about how your car works, you can identify brake problems by watching out for some of the typical warning signs. One of the most obvious warnings is if you start to need more time to bring your vehicle to a stop. Alternatively, you may notice your sedan or crossover pulling to one side when you hit the brakes. These issues can result from the brake pads wearing down, although it’s possible that other problems, such as wheel alignment, could be the cause.

Modern brake pads have a built-in safety device that alerts you when it’s time to replace them. It consists of a thin metal strip built into the pads to produce a squeaking noise shortly before the pads wear through. When you hear this sound, you know it’s time to stop by your local service center.

If you ignore this warning sound, you may soon start hearing a loud growling or grinding noise. This indicates that the brake pads have worn through completely, causing the metal calipers to scrape against the metal brake rotor. Failure to respond promptly to this issue can cause serious damage to these key components, which may result in a hefty repair bill.

A final warning sign to look out for is a change in how the brake pedal feels when you apply pressure. If it doesn’t feel as firm as it once did, you could be dealing with leaking brake fluid. If fluid escapes from your car’s brake system, it won’t be able to generate the pressure necessary to operate the brakes. Alternatively, the problem may be due to air entering the brake hoses, which can hamper the flow of fluid through the system.

Why Choose Classic Toyota for Brake Maintenance in Tyler?

If you need a reliable vehicle maintenance partner in Tyler, we recommend you stop by our Toyota-certified service center. Our team of auto mechanics has the equipment and expertise to handle all your brake maintenance requirements, from the simple task of replacing brake pads to the more complex job of carrying out extensive brake system repairs. While you’re visiting our service center, we can perform other crucial maintenance tasks to keep your car at its best, such as oil changes, tire rotations, wheel alignments, and battery tests.

Before you head to our service center, don’t forget to check out our service and parts specials. We sometimes offer exciting deals on the cost of new brake pads or discounts on installing them. If you need to buy new brake pads or other brake-related equipment, our parts center can help. We stock various brake pad makes that are suitable for the full range of trucks, cars, and SUVs on offer in our showroom.

We hope we’ve been able to show you the importance of effective brake maintenance and what you need to pay attention to if you want to keep your car’s brake system in good condition. If you have any questions about our vehicle maintenance services or you’d like to schedule an appointment, feel free to contact us. Our helpful service team members can take your call, respond to your online message, or meet you in person at our Tyler dealership. We’re looking forward to welcoming you through our doors, whether you’re a new or returning customer.

Image by Benjamin Brunner is licensed with Unsplash License