Is a Brake Service Necessary?
Have you been driving down the road and heard a high pitch squeal, scraping sound or a slight back and forth shimmy as you’re trying to stop? This is a good indicator that you will need to think about servicing your brakes.
For obvious reasons, brakes are very important to your safety and the drivers around you. Having a full service performed to your brakes consists of changing your brake pads, rotors and calipers. You don't need to have a full brake service in order to have healthy brakes. People often find themselves only needing a simple brake pad service.
How long do brakes last?
Everyone wants to know when they should schedule a brake service. Generally brakes have a life expectancy of 80,000 kilometers. Some brakes will last longer than other but this will come down to what types of brakes your car uses and how long its been since you last changed them.
Not all brakes are the same and there are multiple factors that come into play that cause brakes to wear. Your driving habits is one of the main reasons your brakes might be on the way out. If you’re someone who's heavy on the gas pedal, you’re probably hard on your brake pedal as well.
The environment can also come into play. Everyone is always stopping and going as they make their way through traffic which in turn means your brakes are going to see more action.
Lastly, the brake pad hardness. There are multiple different compounds to suit any drivers specific driving style. Hard compound brakes usually tend to perform better but need to be broken in before they can perform highly. Soft compound brakes are better suited for people going lower speeds or those who do most of their driving in residential or urban areas.