Whether you are an experienced driver or are just getting your license it is important to know what to do if you lose braking power. The proper maintenance of your car is important to your safety, not to mention the safety of everyone with you and around you. If your brakes cease to function properly you will no longer have complete control of your vehicle. In order to make arranging vehicle maintenance easier, why not learn how to change brake pads as soon as possible? You will also need to learn when to change them and how to distinguish whether a braking issue is indeed due to worn pads or whether it is something else. If you do not feel confident in your ability to perform maintenance on your vehicle, always seek assistance from a qualified mechanic.

When should your brake pads be changed? If you are driving down the road and you hear a loud squeal from the wheel of your vehicle then it may well be time to replace your brake pads.

What causes the loud squeal from your brakes?

The easily recognizable brake squeal is sometimes called the brake wear indicator. This is an indicator located on a thin piece of metal that is attached to the brake pads. As the pads begin to wear down this causes the indicator to contact the rotor. This causes a vibration and the squeal that you hear. But when you step on the brakes hard you probably notice that you don’t hear the squealing noise. That is because the brake pedal forces the indicator against the rotor and there is less vibration.

If you are certain that it is time to replace the brake pads then you may want to consider installing them yourself, or at least purchasing the necessary pads off the internet in order to save some money. If you don’t know how to change brake pads already, learning may well be easier than you may think. Once you have succeeded at it the first time you will be able to do it with more confidence in future. If you are qualified to change brake pads you could help your family and friends when it is time for them to replace their pads, or you can teach them how to change brake pads for themselves. This could prove very useful advice for capable young drivers who are eager to learn.

Remember that if you do not get your brake pads replaced in a timely manner then you may have to replace brake rotors as well, as metal parts could have been directly contacting the rotor. You do not want this to happen because rotors cost a lot more to replace than brake pads. To avoid this irreversible rotor damage you will need to make sure that you change brake pads before they become too worn. If you don’t know how to change the brake pads take your vehicle to a mechanic that you trust. Safety on the roads is of paramount importance, so keeping vehicles well maintained is essential.