Brakes — you really can’t manage without them being in tip-top shape. Our brakes suddenly cutting out while we’re driving at speed is a nightmare scenario for any driver. The goal, then, should be to catch any potential problems with our brakes before they turn into something more serious, or even something lethal.

Smart Mechanics is here to help

Here are Smart Mechanics, we asked our expert team to share their knowledge about the most prominent signs that your brakes are in need of professional attention. Below we’ve listed their top 5 answers:

Sign #1: Your brake pedal isn’t as responsive as usual

When you drive a new car, you may notice the brakes are extremely keen and responsive even to your light touch. It even takes some acclimatising if you’ve been used to an older car.

When you notice that you are steadily having to apply more and more power to gain the same braking effect, then your brakes might have a problem. It might be worn brake pads, or something more fundamentally wrong with the system. In any event, a significant loss in braking responsiveness is the first warning sign.

Sign #2: You see a warning light on your dashboard

Cars of old once had distinct glowing red and yellow warning lights flickering on and off when things were going wrong. Many learned to ignore them, thinking they were just malfunctioning (and sometimes they were!)

Technology has evolved by now, and sensors detecting genuine problems are better than ever. If you see a warning light on your car’s dash or HUD, then you should head straight to you mechanic to get that checked out.

Sign #3: You feel vibrations or hear grinding

Weird noises coming from any part of your car are a sign that something isn’t quite right. If you feel strong vibrations or hear a grinding sound, that’s a very clear indicator of your need for a professional mechanic to take a look. Just as nothing should be leaking, nothing should be making an off-putting noise.

Sign #4: You hear a squeaking noise

One more sound in the problematic repertoire is squeaking. It could mean the brake pad is wearing thin. Better you get the brake pad replaced or fixed up than having raw metal-on-metal wear between the brake and rotor.

So, whether it’s grinding, squeaking or vibrations, they all should sound like alarm bells in your ears. Brake pads won’t cost you anything like as much as having to repair or replace damaged brake rotors.

Sign #5: Your car pulls to one side when braking

A final and perhaps more unsettling indicator can be that you feel the car pull to one side when you’re braking. This can be very unnerving, especially if you’re driving at speed on a busy motorway.

If you sense this, slow down, and proceed directly to a mechanic to seek help.

Keep brake trouble at bay – Come in for a check-up

Here at Smart Mechanics, we are fully equipped to help you get your brakes back up to their full working condition. You can’t be too careful when it comes to your brakes, so if you noticed even one of the signs above, then get in touch with us and we’ll get you back on the road swiftly and safely.