Squealing brakes are not normal, and they could be a sign of a serious problem. Your brakes might squeal just a little when they get wet, but the sound should stop once the brake pads have dried out. If your brakes are squealing all the time, bring your automobile into Integrity Auto Repair for a brake inspection. There are many reasons why your brakes will make this sound. Here’s a list of them.
Brake Pad Wear Indicators
If your vehicle’s brakes are squealing while you’re driving – not when you use them to stop – it could be the wear indicators embedded in the brake pads. Your vehicle’s brake pads only have so much usable surface, and once that surface has worn away, which it will do because of how the brake pads work, you will get a warning that it’s time to replace the pads. This warning can come in one or two forms.
Most pad wear indicators will turn on a dashboard warning light to let you know the brake pads are too low. Depending on what car you drive, the onboard computer might turn on the Brake light or a dashboard warning light specifically for low pad warnings. You might also hear the squealing sounds coming from the brakes as you drive, but they will stop once you apply the brakes to slow down.
Glazed Brake Pads
Another thing that will make your brakes squeal is glazed brake pads. Glazed pads mean the pads are getting too hot and smoothing out. The abnormally smooth surface will squeal as it presses against the rotors. Depending on how hot the pads are, they might also smoke and smell like burning carpet. This isn’t good. If your brakes are this hot, they could fail and cost you control of your vehicle.
Overuse is the most common reason why brakes overheat. If you keep your foot on the brake pedal all the time, when you’re stuck in traffic, or when you’re going down a steep hill, you can overheat the pads. Sometimes, you can’t help it. You have to keep braking, but try to release the brakes whenever you can to prevent the constant friction between pads and rotors that glazes them.
Brakes can also squeal constantly because there is a problem with the pad insulation or surface cut, or if you have broken anti-rattle clips. Integrity Auto Repair in Eugene, OR, can fix any of these problems or replace worn brake pads to ensure your brakes stop squealing when you drive and use them.
