When Should You Replace Your Car’s Brakes?

Your brakes are a critically important part of your vehicle. They’re the reason you don’t crash every day. Part of the reason that they work is because of brake pads, the cushioned part of the brakes that helps your car or truck stop abruptly.  

Unfortunately, brake pads and shoes don’t last forever, so let’s look at some of the ways you can tell that it’s time to have your Kia’s brakes repaired near Destin. But first, let’s look at the main types of brakes and how they work. 

Different Types of Brakes and How They Work 

Before you check if your Kia’s brakes need repairs, it’s best to understand what type of brakes your car or truck may have. These basic brake types are: 

• Disc Brakes: These brakes come with brake pads that are usually made of organic, ceramic, or metallic friction-generating materials. The pads press down on the brakes’ discs (also called rotors) to generate friction to slow your car or truck down. These brakes most often appear on modern cars and trucks’ front axles, but they also appear on many vehicles’ rear axles, too. 

• Drum Brakes: These brakes have friction-generating parts called brake shoes, rather than pads. The brake shoes are shaped like half-moon, and they press down on the inside of a drum to generate friction and slow the car or truck down. In modern vehicles, drum brakes only appear on rear axles.

Signs That Your Kia’s Brake Pads Are Wearing Out 

When your Kia’s brakes start to wear out, you may notice a few of these things happening in your car: 

• Screeching noises: Once your brake pads get very thin, you may hear shrill metal-on-metal noises caused by a metal attachment on the brakes called a wear indicator. As its name implies, this device makes this noise precisely to let you know that your brake pads are wearing down to the point that they may need replacing. When you start to hear the wear indicator making this kind of noise, schedule a maintenance appointment with your Kia dealership near Shalimar, FL to check how worn your brake pads are and see if they need replacements yet. 

• Brake pads are worn thin: You can also check your Kia’s brake pads by looking at your brakes themselves. You can find it between the caliper that holds the brake pad and the rotor that it presses against. If the brake pads are less than ¼ of an inch or 7 mm thick, they are too thin and need to be replaced. 

• It becomes harder to brake: How hard do you have to press down to get your Kia Soul or Sorento to stop? If you have to press your foot down harder than you used to when applying your brakes, or you notice your car takes longer to stop, your brake pads are most likely wearing out. And if you hear intense metallic sounds when you apply them, it’s possible that the brake pads could have worn away completely. If you notice these things, get your Kia to your service center ASAP to have new brake pads put on the axles. 

Repair Your Brakes in Fort Walton Beach, FL 

If you’re in Crestview, Panama City, Niceville, or Destin and you need brake repair services, contact our service center and schedule an appointment today. And don’t forget to check our website for service specials and coupons, which can save you tons of money on your next brake repair job in Fort Walton Beach. 

Contact us on our website or give our service center a call at (855) 755-0473 to learn more.