How to Tell If You Need to Change Your Car Brake Pads

Before subject of talk,we need to know what is brake pads.Brake pads are a component of disc brakes used in automotive and other applications. Brake pads are steel backing plates with friction material bound to the surface that faces the disc brake rotor.And brake pads play a crucial role in the brake performance,so if your brake pads work correctly it will improve safe coefficient when you driving car.And this article focus on the topic:how to tell if you need to change your brake pads.

Many people don’t know how often or when they need to change their brake pads.All of them merely change the brake pads according to the maintenance & service manual 30,000 kilometers.In fact,it is partly true,because different personal driving habits and different road condition result in different brake pads wear pattern.Below I list 4 points to tell if you need to change the brake pads.

 

How to Tell If You Need to Change Your Car Brake Pads

Check the brake pads thickness

The brake performance and safety will reduced greatly when the thickness of brake pad wearing thin.Generally,the thickness of new brake pads about 1.5cm,and you need to increase the self-test frequency when the thickness under 0.5cm.It is recommend you to replace the brake pads about 0.5cm,and if you don’t the ultimate thickness is 0.3cm,you must to change brake pads at this situation.

 

When you find the brake pads warning light on the instrument cluster

If you find the brake pads warning light on,you must to check the brake pads thickness.Once the thickness less than limited thickness,you need to do brake pads repalcement for you safety.

Voice listening

Generally,brake discs are mostly made up by iron,after long time parking the brake pads will be rusty especially in the rainly days.At this time,you will hear the voice from brake discs when you pressing the brake pedal,but it will disappear after a few minutes driving.But if you can still hear the voice from the brake discs,it means you need to repalce the brake pads.This voice is generate from friction between ultimate position of brake pads and brake discs,it implied that the brake pads has be worn over ultimate thickness.And at this situation,the brake discs also need to be checked.When you hearing the voice,it genrally means that brake discs has been damaged,if you only change the brake pads,the voice will still exist,and must to repalce the brake discs in extreme situation.

Braking reaction

When the brake pads worn thin,the braking reaction will become sluggish and you need to press the brake pedal deeper to make the batter brake performance.