How Often Should I Check My Brakes In Spokane WA

It’s essential to inspect your vehicle’s braking system to ensure that it’s functioning properly. Damaged brakes can be a safety hazard for you and other drivers. When you need to slam on your brakes, you want to be assured that you will stop. For this reason, a brake check is of utmost importance.
Safety: Brakes are intended to stop you quickly and safely. An inspection will save your peace of mind, reassuring you that they will perform as expected when you need them.
Preventing accidents: Damaged brakes are dangerous for you and your vehicle and also for others on the road. Checking the functionality will address problems early to help prevent accidents caused by brake failure or reduced stopping power.
Prevent bigger problems: Early detection is key to stopping issues that could become significant if left unattended. If the pads are worn, replacing them could prevent damage to the rotors or calipers.
Extended brake life: Regular brake inspections and maintenance can help with the longevity of the braking system, saving money in the long run.

How often you should have your brakes checked can vary. Ideally, having the brakes on your vehicle checked at least every six months is a good practice. But if you are a driver who drives frequently in heavy traffic where you stop and start more, then you may need to inspect the brakes more often. The same applies if you have a heavy foot on the brake, braking hard and abruptly. If you drive a larger vehicle like a truck or SUV and carry heavy loads, more frequent inspections may be necessary.

One way to remember when you should have your brakes checked is to automatically do it each time you have your tires rotated.

Absolutely. Catching an issue early on your brakes will save you possible vehicle damage to yourself and others. Driving with brakes in need of repair can cause extensive damage.

Possible issues when using bad brakes:
Tire damage: Slamming on impaired brakes can lead to unbalanced tires, causing the tires to wear down faster than they should.
Rotor damage: If braking happens directly on the rotors due to worn out pads, warping and cracking to the rotors is a possibility.
Caliper damage: Bad brake pads will cause metal-to-metal contact, with grinding and scraping between the caliper and rotor. This issue can cause damage to both components.
Contaminated brake fluid: Brake fade and loss of pedal or soft pedal can be a sign that the brake fluid needs attention. Brake fluid absorbs moisture which can cause corrosion in the antilock control module, master cylinder and calipers.

Fortunately, there are some warning signs that indicate you may need brake repair.

When braking:
• Do you have to push harder to come to a stop?
• Does the vehicle pull slightly to one side?
• At a high speed or driving downhill, do you notice a vibration?
• Do you hear grinding or screeching noises?
• Does it take longer to stop?
• Do you notice a burning smell?
• Are you adding a lot of brake fluid?
• Are you noticing pedal fade or the pedal is softer than normal

If you notice any of these items on the list, it is time to have your brakes inspected and serviced promptly. Paying attention to these warnings will help prevent extensive damage and maintain the safety of your vehicle.

Wendle cares about you. We are committed to your safety on the road. That’s why we will check your brakes for free. (Free inspection on most passenger cars and light trucks.) If we find anything wrong, we will inform you and discuss your options for repair services. Whether you need new brake pads or replacement of the rotors or calipers, our expert technicians can do it for you, with competitive pricing. Be sure to check our current service specials for other repairs and maintenance we provide at a discounted price.