Joe Hyde, Director of Automotive Technology at Christian Brothers Automotive, explains the common warning signs that you can experience when it’s time to get your brakes serviced. Joe describes different brake noises, vibrations, dashboard warning lights, pedal fade, and other outwardly indicators such as brake dust.

Video Transcript:

“Hi there, my name is Joe Hyde from Christian Brothers automotive and I'm the director of Automotive Technology. One of the questions we get a lot at Christian Brothers Automotive is, “How do I know when my brakes need to be serviced?” Well, there's a lot of key indicators that we can talk about in order for you to know when your brakes need to be serviced. And when they don't.”

“Let's take a look at a couple of those things.”

Brake noises

“Brakes are a key safety component to your vehicle. And the pads are made up of semi metallic material. So one of the first indicators that your brakes need to be serviced is - are they making any noise? Is there any abnormal squealing, rubbing? Or do you hear a grinding noise when you apply the brakes?”

Brake vibrations

“The second indicator that your brakes may require service is - are you feeling any abnormal vibration? When I say vibration, what I specifically mean is - when you apply the brakes, do you feel a vibration in the pedal? Do you feel a vibration in the steering wheel? Or perhaps you may even feel a vibration in the bottom of your seat.”

Dashboard warning lights

“The third thing that we want to look at that may give you an indication your brakes need service are the indicator lights, and in today’s high tech vehicles there are several warning indicators that illuminate in the dash of your vehicle that may let you know that you require service. One of those is the red brake light. Another one of those is the amber ABS light or anti-lock braking system light.”

Pedal fade

“The fourth indicator that your brake system may require service is the actual brake pedal itself. It can tell you a lot about your braking system. For instance, does it go to the floor after you apply the brakes? Or, do you feel a pedal fade is what the industry calls it. The next is - is it really hard to push that brake pedal? Is there a lot of effort for you to be able to stop that vehicle?”

Outwardly indicators

“The last indicator that we want to talk about in our brake service system is actually some outwardly indicators. What I mean by outwardly is that when the wheel is on the vehicle, if you notice a high buildup of brake dust, this can also indicate that your system needs to be serviced.”

“All of these things that we've talked about should be serviced by a service professional that's certified to perform brake work, like our technicians at Christian Brothers Automotive.”

What brake service looks like at Christian Brothers Automotive

“So now that we've talked about the different ways that your brake system tells you it needs service, let's talk about what the service itself looks like.”

“Here at Christian Brothers, we want to make sure that we do a brake service the proper way.”

“In our brake service, you can anticipate the rotors to be turned or replaced where necessary. All the hardware to be lubed and cleaned or replaced where necessary. And we're going to install quality OEM replacement parts that meet or exceed your manufacturers’ recommendations for that vehicle.”

“I'm Joe Hyde and that's your CBA car talk for today. We'll see you next time.”