Is It Safe To Drive A Car If The Brakes Are Grinding?

Hearing a squeal or a grinding noise when you come to a complete stop can be frightening – not only for your safety, but also for your wallet. Grinding brakes are frequently a sign of a serious problem or a foreshadowing of something bad to come. Even if your vehicle’s brakes appear to be in good working order, it may not always be a good idea to allow this problem to worsen.

Driving with grinding brakes is simply not safe. Brakes are a critical component of safe driving and should not be overlooked. If your brakes start to fail:

• Don’t drive any further. As soon as it is safe to do so, come to a complete stop.
• Contact a qualified mechanic for an evaluation.

What Happens If You Drive With Worn-Out Brakes?

The problem will not go away on its own, but it will only get worse. In some cases, driving with bad brakes will only increase your repair costs because you will have to fix additional problems.

Brakes typically begin to grind or squeal as the brake pads wear down. As a result, the rotors are subjected to metal-on-metal scraping with no braking material in between. If left alone, this will continue to damage the vehicle, resulting in the cost of brake pads, rotors, and calipers – and possibly a tow job if your brakes become so bad that there is no safe stopping, rendering the vehicle immobile.

Preventative maintenance, such as replacing brake pads at the manufacturer’s recommended mileage, is an excellent way to keep rotors instead of having to replace the entire braking system at once. More information on the manufacturer’s recommendations to consider should be available in your vehicle’s manual.

If you hear grinding in the brakes even when you are not pressing the brake pedal, you should check to see if there is a foreign object in the braking system, such as gravel. Hearing the noise when you come to a complete stop or while driving could indicate a variety of problems.

How to Avoid Brake Problems

Your car’s brakes are critical, and they must function properly. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to avoid brake problems, including:

• Identify the Warning Signs of Defective Brakes

The following are common warning signs of faulty brakes:

• • When you press down on the brake pedal, you may hear screeching, squealing, or other strange noises.
  • Brake pedal or steering wheel vibration
  • The tires emit a pungent burning odor.
  • The brake warning light illuminates.
  • To activate the brakes, the brake pedal must be pressed down further than usual.
  • If you notice any of these warning signs, seek medical attention immediately. If you go to an auto body shop, you can have your brakes evaluated as soon as possible.

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