While pulling up to a traffic light with loudly screeching brakes can be quite embarrassing, it’s also a big safety hazard. Worn brake pads are much more than annoying — they can lead to further costly damage and accidents. Here are some things that can happen if you drive around on worn brakes.
Damage to the Brake Rotors and Calipers
The brake system is comprised of many moving parts, with each one affecting the other. When one component experiences damage, that wear and tear can affect all other elements.
Let’s say your brake pads have worn down past a specific point. This can cause damage to the brake rotors. When you apply the brake, the brake pads tell the rotor to stop the vehicle. But when you have extremely worn pads, that exposed metal is what grinds against the rotors, which produces that awful sound.
If that weren’t enough, excessive heat is generated from all that grinding, which can crack or warp the rotor. Brake rotors usually last longer than the brake pads but you still need to replace the brake pads regularly to avoid frequent repairs. When you engage in regular brake changes and maintenance, you can extend the life of your braking system and prevent unnecessary repairs.
Slow Response Time
Sometimes, when you need to brake, you need to brake now! If your brakes are so worn that they can’t make your car come to a timely stop, this could lead to collisions and fender benders – or worse. One of the things you should be thinking about if your brake pads are starting to wear down is your car’s response time.
If your brakes are glazed, you will have to push harder on the brakes to come to a stop. This is a telltale sign that you need replacement.
Other things can happen when driving on glazed brakes, such as brake slippage, longer stopping distances, and the tendency of your car to pull to one side when braking. Brake slippage happens when the brake pads fail to engage or disengage the rotor. This means the pads can’t grip both sides correctly, which causes drifting.
Vibrating Vehicle
When your brakes are in good form, you can brake smoothly. But when the pads are worn out or the rotors are damaged, braking will cause your car to vibrate. So, if you experience shaking when braking, or even just the steering wheel, you need to get your brakes serviced.
Tire Wear
When you drive with worn brakes, this actually wears your tires down as well. You may have the tendency to slam on the brakes to stop or slow down your vehicle when driving with worn brake pads, calipers or rotors. This puts more wear and tear on your tires, so the tread wears down faster than normal and your wheels become misaligned.
When you take care of your brakes, you take care of your tires!
The bottom line, is don’t drive with worn out brakes. While you can do so in a pinch – to get your car to the shop, for example, you should stay off them once you know the brakes are shot. This will prevent further damage to the system, which can get very costly. For brake safety and an overall better driving experience, schedule regular brake work, inspections and replacement with your trusted Fort Worth auto mechanic.
Contact Rick and Ray’s Auto Plaza
It’s our job to keep you safe on the road. If you’re starting to feel squishy brakes or hear squealing when you stop, bring your vehicle to Rick and Ray’s Auto Plaza. We offer a full range of brake system services, such as rotor repair and pad replacement.
Just contact us in Fort Worth TX at 817-609-4293, and we are 2425 Cullen St. in Fort Worth, TX. Our business hours are Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for your convenience.
Our Services
Alternator Replacement
Nobody plans for their car to stop working. No doubt it’s an inconvenience when an alternator replacement is suddenly necessary. Big questions loom, like how long it’ll take to do an alternator replacement, and how much the job will end up costing.
Auto Air Conditioning Repair
Dealing with auto air conditioning repair brings about a few different problems. The heat outside can get pretty intense, making you incredibly uncomfortable whenever you go anywhere in your car. On top of that, the worry about how much an auto air conditioning repair will end up costing is stressful.
Auto Electrical
Most people realize that owning a car means some maintenance and repairs, but auto electrical service can add an unexpected level of stress to the experience. Vehicle owners often wonder how long such problems will take to resolve, and just as important how much it’ll end up costing.
Brake Repair
Any brake repair work should be taken seriously and performed with care. After all, you have a lot riding on your brakes every time you press down on the pedal. At the same time, we at Rick and Ray’s Auto Plaza understand you might be concerned with how long a brake repair job will take and cost. One of our main objectives is to make the process painless, delivering superior customer service to make you a repeat customer.
Diesel Repair
Many shops don’t understand the specialized nature of diesel repair. It’s a different process than working on gas-powered vehicles, with plenty of unique considerations that must be taken into account. At Rick and Ray’s Auto Plaza, we understand the importance of your diesel vehicle. You want diesel repairs or maintenance performed correctly the first time.
Emission Repair
No one anticipates needing an emission repair, but the time does come. Instead of worrying about what it means, trust the professionals to resolve the problem quickly and completely.
At Rick and Ray’s Auto Plaza we understand that car trouble, including a necessary emission repair, can create some stress. That’s why we work hard to make your customer experience second to none. Our goal is to ensure you’re so pleased that you keep coming back to us.
Engine Repair
Dealing with engine repair issues can be stressful. You cannot use your vehicle, your ability to get around is limited, and you’re left wondering how big the final bill will be. At Rick and Ray’s Auto Plaza we completely understand your concerns. Along with our engine repair expertise, we provide excellent customer service. In fact, we measure our success by whether or not you want to return to us for future maintenance and repairs.
Oil Change
Every vehicle needs an oil change service at regular intervals, or else some pretty big problems can crop up over time. Dirty oil will slowly wear away at different engine components, even leading to complete failure. Take the time to guard against a huge bill.
Transmission Repair
Dealing with a transmission repair can be stressful and potentially expensive. It’s a critical part of any car, because without the transmission working properly you literally won’t get very far.
Rick and Ray’s Auto Plaza understands your automotive needs. That’s why we work hard to do more than just fix your vehicle, providing you with the best customer service around. Our goal is to make every one of our customers happy, then see them again for future car maintenance and repairs.
Truck Repair
Your truck works hard just like you, so having it out of commission simply isn’t an option. Not only does an ailing truck limit how you get around, but it keeps you from tackling tough jobs. On top of it all, the stress of wondering what’s wrong, along with what your truck repairs will cost, hangs over your head.
Wheel Alignment
If you’re driving down I-35, do you feel like you’re in control of your vehicle? Are you fighting the steering wheel to hold your car straight in its lane? Or is your steering loose, causing you to wander between lane markers? You probably need a wheel alignment.
