With every vehicle, problems could sometimes arise from nowhere. Of course, taking your car in for frequent maintenance checks might give you a chance to avoid eventual problems with the car, but daily issues could still occur. One of the many issues may be screeching brakes, and there could be some ways to avoid this, depending on if your brakes are brand-new or old. Brake squeaking might happen due to your driving conditions or even driving habits. Below we’ll give you a deeper breakdown of some common causes for why your brakes screech, how many miles brake pads might last, and when you should change them.
This might shock you, but one of the reasons for brake squealing is that your brakes are simply just too new. Your brakes might need some more miles to get acclimated to your car. In this case, weather conditions can lead to built-up moisture covering your brakes, and it may take a bit of time to dry that moisture. Also, how you drive could cause brake squeaking. “Riding” your brakes or heavy braking may lead to brake noise, especially if they’re new. If this is the case, try giving your brakes a break to help reduce more heat.
Older brakes are typically the reason you might hear that squeaking noise also. Over the years, components on every vehicle will likely start to break down because of driving habits, moisture, rust, and if it is garaged or not. The simple solution is to just get those brakes replaced with new ones. However, a shift in how you drive may help extend the life of the brakes.
The life of brakes can run for a long time, depending on the way drivers treat the brakes. Understanding your driving habits is perhaps the most important, as it can help you understand when to replace the brake pads. Brake pads generally last around 25,000 to 65,000 miles, but driving habits have such an important role. Braking hard and riding your brakes (when your foot is always on the brakes) places a lot of heat and pressure on your brake pads and may lead to shrinking their life. If screeching begins to occur, you should consider getting them changed and try adjusting your driving habits to increase the pad’s lifespan.
If you think your brake pads need to be changed, don’t wait another minute to contact us at Bob Howard Chevrolet to schedule a service appointment. Our team of experts will take all of the guesswork out of determining the brake service that your car, truck, SUV, or van needs. We proudly service all makes and models of vehicles. Schedule your brake service appointment today.
