Why Do My Brakes Make Noise?

Your car’s brake system is very reliable in vehicles made today, but they do require regular inspections and occasional maintenance. Having Car Care Connection perform inspections and repairs on your brakes will ensure your family is safe every time they are in your vehicle.

Brakes can make noise for a variety of reasons, and in any noise event, you should have Car Care Connection take a look at them. Here are some reasons for brake noise:

• Scraping noises can be caused by different things, but any scraping or grinding noises should be cause for an immediate inspection by Car Care Connection. As brake pads wear they eventually will reach what are called “wear sensors” designed to warn you the pads need replacement. This is a scraping sound as you first apply the brakes. If the scraping or grinding occurs every time, you may have allowed the pads to wear away and the pad bases are grinding away the brake rotors. This requires immediate attention. A stone or foreign object can also get caught between the pads and rotors which needs attention as it can damage the rotors.
• Rattles are not necessarily a problem if they only occur on occasion. Some brake pads will rattle a bit as they heat up and cool off. This can happen if shims were not used to take up the extra space behind the pads. If the rattle occurs during braking, inspection by Car Care Connection should be scheduled to look for other issues.
• Although not a noise, brake fade can occur if the brakes overheat. This can occur on long downhill drives where the brakes are used repeatedly and they get too hot to work properly. Some brake fade can also occur if your car passes through water, such as a flooded road, but this is normally temporary until the brakes dry.

If you experience any brake noises or other unexpected brake behaviors, don’t put your family at risk. Come to Car Care Connection in Sarasota and let us do a brake inspection. We will carefully inspect all brake components and let you know what we find. Reach out to us today at 941-924-6199.