HOUSTON – When you hear a sound coming from your wheels, it may be your brakes trying to talk to you. If you don't listen and fail to act fast, you could wind up spending a whole lot of money unnecessarily.
Two Houston brake specialists, Ali Bekdely from Redline Auto Sports and Joe Goddard with Brake Check, explain what three typical brake sounds actually mean.
If you hear a high-pitched squeak when you hit the brakes, that could mean your brake pads are reaching the end of their lifespan.
"That's an indicator that your brake pads have worn too low and it's time to get them replaced," Ali said.
The price will usually run between $60 and $160 for new pads and hardware.
A squealing sound can be especially puzzling if your brakes are relatively new. It could be the result of a bad installation.
"These are all relatively new parts.You probably don't need anything replaced in this case. The idea would be to bring the car back in and have them reinspect it. Let's look at it, maybe it just needs to be readjusted, or maybe it needs some lubricant," Goddard said.
The price may be less than $100, maybe even free.
A horrible grinding sound could be your brake pads are gone and the brake pad holders are tearing up your rotors. When that happens not only will you have to pay to replace the pads and hardware, but you can add the cost of resurfacing or completely replacing your rotors. The cost could range from $25 to resurface, up to $150 to $200 to replace the rotors, on top of paying for new brake pads.
One more thing to know, when you take your car in for brake work: Make sure the technician shows you the parts that are destroyed and need to be replaced. Make him or her show you the old worn-out parts and the brand-new ones. Also ask for a detailed explanation as to why those parts need to be replaced and at what price.
