Brakes are one of the most crucial parts of your car and they need to be in good condition at all times. If you ever have any doubts about that, just try to imagine how you would feel if you stepped on the brake pedal and there was no response as you are driving at 65 mph and heading straight for a concrete pillar.
Fortunately, you are not likely to be in such a situation. Instead, you are more likely to slowly wear out your brakes and take more time to react to the obstacles in your way. When you keep using old and worn out brakes, you also expose your rotors or other car parts to damage, which will cost you a lot of money to car repair.
However, there are measures that you can take to ensure that you do not end up in a car workshop in Sharjah with a faulty brake system or one that has been worn out. Here are a few things you can do to extend the life of your brakes:
Here are few important Brake Maintenance tips-
- Provide Adequate Stopping Distance
The first thing that causes brake wear is if one decides to stop suddenly. Sudden and aggressive braking is very much stressing on the brake pads and erodes the rubber and metal.
You cannot escape from emergency braking when a car in front of you turns sharply or a deer crosses the road from the woods. However, you can avoid tailgating other cars and plan out your route carefully to avoid last-minute turns.
Try to give yourself as much stopping distance as possible. Try to look as far as possible down the road to see if there is any need to stop such as a traffic light that is about to turn red or a stop sign that is still visible around a bend. The less force that is needed to apply the brakes the better.
High speed driving will not affect the brakes but it will be difficult to stop if there is an obstacle on the way. This is because even a 10 mph difference in speed puts a greater load on your brakes.This will not only make you a safer driver but will also ease the load on your brakes when you do have to stop.
Apart from driving at a slower speed, you should also familiarize yourself with the practice of taking your foot off the accelerator for a short distance and letting the car decelerate on its own before applying the brake. If you brake slowly, then your brakes will not wear out as much as they would if you were braking at a faster speed.
- Avoid Unnecessary Brake Taps
Traffic is not very friendly to your brakes. You are stuck in a traffic jam, inching forward slowly and stepping on the brake pedal repeatedly. If traffic is smooth, you will frequently apply the brakes when traffic density is high, for example during rush hour.
You can prevent such brake taps by developing a habit of looking far ahead as you drive to be able to see what is coming. A lot of drivers simply copy what the driver in front of them does, such as taping their brakes. But if you are aware that traffic is not very fast, you can slow down your speed to ensure that you are moving at a slower pace but constant and you do not have to apply the brakes frequently.If you are in stopped traffic, you can wait until a greater distance has formed between you and the car in front of you before you move. This way, you travel more extensive distances at a time and apply the brakes less often.
The more mass a car has, the more speed it will gain while in motion and the harder the brakes have to work to bring it to a halt. You should be able to feel the stress a heavy load exerts on your brakes yourself because you will have to apply more pressure to bring the car to a halt within the same distance that you are used to.
Do not carry too much load in your vehicle and be careful when using accessories such as wheels and muffler systems. If you are in doubt about the weight that your brakes can safely support, then it is advisable to consult your mechanic.
Similar to your oil or any other fluids in your car, your brake fluid can get contaminated or oxidized and thus become less effective. Using low quality brake fluid will lead to the deterioration of your brake calipers and wheel cylinders and hence fail. Consult with your BMW service in Sharjah, or Audi service center in Sharjah to determine the right schedule for your car care.
You should change brakes before they wear out to the rotors, and the grinding sound that results from this can lead to more severe and costly damages. There are some symptoms that you may see that your brakes are wearing out, for instance, you may hear a squealing sound or it takes longer to stop your car. But, it is difficult to understand what is happening with your brakes without having a look at them.
You should ask your mechanic to check your brakes every time you are with him for wheel alignment or tire rotation or balance. If your brakes are beginning to wear thin, your mechanic can change them before they have the chance to affect other parts of the wheel.
Conclusion
The following are some of the ways that can assist in increasing the durability of the brake system: The braking system should be checked, the brake pad wear should be checked, hard braking should be avoided, the brake fluid should be checked, the wheels and brakes should be cleaned, and the rotor maintenance should be checked. Whether it is your BMW, Audi or any other car, getting your car to specialized centers like BMW service in Sharjah or Audi service center in Sharjah means your brakes are in safe hands.
If you follow these tips on brake maintenance, you will have a smooth ride with a reliable braking system and no stress.
