Brakes are one of the most important components within your car. Without them, you wouldn’t be able to operate your vehicle safely. If your brakes are squealing, though this may be annoying, the problem could actually be quite serious.
Here are a few of the things that can cause your brakes to squeal.
It’s Time to Replace Your Brake Pads
Towards the end of some brake pads’ lives they begin to squeal. They are designed this way to help alert you to their failing health. The reason the brakes are squealing is because some brakes are designed with steel clips inside of them that will begin to make noise when the pads have worn down.
Your Rotors Are Glazed
The components of your car experience a lot of heat, and your brakes certainly share in this. When exposed to a lot of heat, the dust created by the brake pads grinding against the rotors, can harden and crystallize into a glassy material.
When your rotors become glazed, they replicate the experience of a tennis shoe against a glossy gym floor, and thus squeak. This phenomenon can be quite alarming when dealing with freshly replaced brakes.
However, the problem is not with the brake pads, but with the rotors, and if the rotors were not cleaned or replaced, then the squeaking will continue.
The Squealing Only Lasted a Few Minutes
There are a few more possibilities for squealing brakes. If they only squeal for a short amount of time it could be due to moisture. Sometimes after a heavy rain your brake pads can develop a bit of rust which rubs off after a few minutes of use.
Similarly, some dirt or debris may have made its way into the system. However, in both of these cases, the sound should only persist for a very short amount of time. If your brakes are squealing for longer than even a few minutes, bring them in and have them looked at.
Brake Repair in Columbia, Maryland
If you’re worried about your brakes, then bring them into our Columbia, MD brake service center, or one of our other locations. We’ll take a look at your vehicle’s brakes, assess them, and repair them if necessary. Brakes are one of the most important components of your car. Don’t let issues with them go unnoticed.
Give us a call today or fill out the contact form on our website for more information.
