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Common problems
Grinding or Squealing Brakes
What different brake noises mean and which ones need attention immediately.
Brakes are designed to tell you when they need attention. Different noises mean different things, and one of them means stop driving.
Squealing when you brake
Often the wear indicator — a small metal tab that contacts the disc when the pad material gets low. It's doing exactly what it's meant to. Book it in; there's usually some time in hand but not much.
Grinding
The friction material is gone and you're braking metal on metal. This damages the discs with every stop and reduces how well the car stops. Don't keep driving on it — this is a collection job, not a drive-to-us job.
Squealing that stops after the first few stops
Usually surface rust on the discs after the car has stood, particularly overnight in damp weather. Normal, and it clears itself.
A pulsing pedal
Not a noise, but worth including. Usually warped or unevenly worn discs. Gets worse and should be looked at.
A soft or sinking pedal
Air or a fluid leak in the hydraulic system. Treat this as urgent — pedal feel that's changed is the one symptom worth acting on immediately.
Not safe to drive?
You don't have to risk it. We transport vehicles as our other business, so a car that shouldn't be driven can be collected on a transporter rather than nursed to a garage.
non-runner being loaded
Questions
How long do brake pads last?
Anywhere between 20,000 and 60,000 miles depending on driving and the car. Town driving wears them far faster than motorway miles.
Do discs need replacing with pads?
Not always. It depends on their thickness and condition, both of which get measured rather than guessed at.