Top 5 Things to Maintain Your Brake System | Infographic

Practice Mindful Driving

Paying attention to your driving habits can have a big impact on the health of your car overall but especially your brakes. If you enjoy speeding from point A to point B, you’re likely causing extra wear on your brake pads and rotors from braking more whenever you hit traffic or a stop light. If you frequently drive close to the car in front of you, you’re likely using your brake more often to keep from hitting them when speed changes. Instead of braking every time you have to slow down a little bit, you can try coasting to cause less wear on your brake system. Most people do not think about how simple driving habits can impact essential systems in their car.

Avoid Frequent Heavy Loads

For some people, avoiding towing heavy loads is not possible. However, if you don’t have to, it will save your brakes if you limit how often you carry around extra weight with your car. It takes a bigger toll on your car’s brake pads and rotors to bring a heavier vehicle to a complete stop. The heavier your car and anything it’s carrying, the faster you’ll wear through brake pads and rotors.

Check Your Brake Pads & Rotors Regularly

You can easily check the wear on your brake pads and rotors at home and should do so regularly to ensure you catch them before they become over-worn. Once brake pads have worn down to 3mm or less in thickness, it’s time to think about making an appointment with your local brake mechanic. Likewise, if you notice a rim around the outside of your rotors, it’s probably time you get those replaced as well.

Generally speaking, brake pads will need to be replaced every 50,000 miles or so but that timeframe can depend on several different factors. Brake rotors can go up to around 70,000 miles before needing to be replaced. Both will depend on the brand you purchase and the type of driving you most commonly do. Regardless of mileage, it’s important to keep an eye on your brake pads’ thickness.

Get Your Brake Fluid Flushed

Roughly every 30,000 miles or so, though some manufacturers say you can go 2-4 years, you should schedule a brake fluid flush. It’s a brake service that often goes overlooked but is important to keep your brake system operating well. Over time, your brake fluid becomes contaminated from a combination of use and the surrounding environment. If you drive down dirt roads, you’ll likely need to get all of your car’s fluids flushed more often than those who do more suburban driving with minimal dust and debris. Over time, your brake fluid absorbs more water and therefore becomes less effective. It’s likely you won’t notice it happening over time because it is so gradual but after a brake flush, you should notice your brakes working better.

Bleed Your Brakes Every Couple Years

Noticing a spongy brake pedal? You likely need to bleed your brakes. No, this is not the same as having your brake fluid flushed. Roughly every two years, you should get air pockets removed from your brake line by having your brakes bled. If this brake service is necessary, you’ll notice a spongy brake pedal and your brakes will be less effective in general.