If you have noticed that your brakes are making a squeaking sound when you step on them or that you have to push them down a little further to get your vehicle to stop, it is time to get them checked out. It is important that you not ignore these signs, as you could be without brakes when you need them most. Here are some tips for inspecting the brakes prior to bringing your car to a mechanic.

Determine Your Method of Inspection

There are a few different ways to look at vehicle brakes, so you need to know what kind of car you have when you are looking at them. This might be your very first time inspecting the brakes and you're not quite sure how to do it. If you have alloy wheels, you will be able to see your brakes through spaces in the wheels, so this is a good thing. However, if you don't have these types of wheels, you need to remove your steering wheel in order to find the brakes. The other option is to jack up your car to find the brakes.

Find the Brake Pads

When you step on the brake pedal and you hear an obnoxious screeching sound, it is usually because the brake pads are worn. Therefore, the pads are the first thing you should check when inspecting your car's brakes. When looking at your brakes, first find a shiny surface; that is the brake disc. Just underneath is the brake pad. You can see it around the edge of the disc since it is slightly larger than the disc. If it looks worn or cracked, it most likely needs to be replaced. If you change one, you should change both at the same time, even if only one of them looks damaged.

Inspect the Brake Discs

The shiny metal piece you found when looking at the brake pad of each brake is the brake disk. It should look uniform in appearance with no scuffs, lines, scratches, rough spots, or grooves. If it has any of these markings, it is likely starting to wear away and needs to be replaced. Like the brake pads, you should replace both discs at the same time. Many people choose to replace both brake pads and both discs at the same time.

Check the Brake Lines

When checking your brakes, also look for lines that are covered in rubber coating. These are your brake lines. They should be solid with no cracks or rough areas. If you notice any cracks or other signs of damage, they need to be replaced. This is something that an auto repair shop should do.

For more information about brake maintenance or to have repairs made, contact a company like Precision Automotive.