Brake Pad Replacement at Russ Darrow Kia of Wauwatosa

Brakes do make a big difference in how safe your car is and in how safe it is for you to drive. As you drive your brakes are going to naturally wear down and become less and less effective. In these cases, you do need to have your brakes worked on so that you can be certain you are going to be safe when you do set out.

Brake Pad Replacement Overview

Brake pads are thin sheets of rubber that are going to be placed on the rotor of your brake system and that work to provide that little bit of extra friction that is needed to stop your car when you press on the brake pedal. The brake pads are going to be thick enough to add friction but not thick enough to cause any other issue. Brake pads do wear down and thin out when you are driving since they do get clamped down on and do heat up and cause friction when the car stops. As the brake pads thin out they are not going to be as effective at stopping your car so if you do notice that you are dealing with brake pads that are too thin, your car might not stop as quickly or as hard as you want them to. Brake pads that are thinning out do need to be replaced so that they do not get too thin and so that they also do not melt to the rotor. When it comes to brake pads, the more you drive the more often you are going to need to have them replaced.

How Often Should You Replace Brake Pads?

Brake pads do not need to be replaced every year but they are going to need to be replaced more often depending on how you drive and on how often you brake and use your brakes. If you do a lot of city driving or stop and go driving you are going to need to change your brake pads more often but if you do a lot of highway driving you may not need to replace them as often. If you suspect that you do need to get your brake pads replaced, you should get them checked by a certified technician to see just what should be done.