3 Explanations For Your Car's Squeaky Brakes
Posted on: 21 October 2022
The braking system is one of the most important features of any modern vehicle. Without functional brakes, it would be impossible to control the forward motion of your vehicle and avoid potential accidents.
A lot of drivers don't realize their brakes are experiencing trouble until it's too late. Your car's brake system does provide some warning signs that it's time to get repairs. One of these warning signs is squeaky brakes.
Learn more about the potential causes of squeaky brakes so that you can invest in the right repairs to keep your car safe.
1. Corroded Rotors
Any part of your car brakes that is exposed to moisture can potentially start to corrode. Water, snow, rain, and even high humidity levels can be especially damaging to your brake rotors.
A thin layer of rust will begin to form across the surface of brake rotors exposed to moisture. Excessive corrosion can cause the brake rotors to warp, which prevents your brake pads from gripping them as tightly as they should.
You will hear a squeaking noise when you press the brake pedal if your rotors have sustained corrosion-related damage.
An experienced mechanic will be able to replace the rotors with new ones or resurface the existing rotors to eliminate rust and imperfections and restore the performance of your braking system.
2. Worn Brake Pads
If your vehicle has a disc braking system, then the squeaking and squealing you hear when you press the brake pedal could be caused by worn brake pads.
Modern disc brake pads are fitted with a wear indicator that makes contact with the surface of the rotor before the pads are completely worn out. The contact between the rotor and this wear indicator produces the sounds you hear while braking.
These types of squeaking sounds are meant to alert you to the deterioration of your brake pads and provide you with time to have them replaced by a mechanic before they wear out completely.
3. Glazed Brake Pads
The way you drive can have a direct impact on the condition of your brake pads. Drivers who brake hard or ride their brakes regularly generate excessive amounts of friction between the brake pads and rotors. This friction causes the pads to develop a glaze.
Glazed brake pads not only make a squeaking sound when you apply the brake pedal; they are not able to create enough force to bring your vehicle to a stop. A mechanic will need to install new brake pads to restore your ability to stop your car properly.
Contact an automotive repair shop to learn more.
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