When it comes to ensuring your safety, your brakes are one of the essential components. Without your brakes, your vehicle would struggle slowing or decelerating to a stop. Despite how important they are to our safety; many people still don’t know how to brake properly. They seem to be taken for granted with aggressive braking or slowing sooner than necessary. Leading most drivers to a life of frequent wear and brake tune-ups. This also doesn’t account for the drivers who then decide to neglect brake tune-ups to save money. The last thing you want to do is speed your vehicle on the highway with brakes that aren’t performing their absolute best. Below are a few maintenance tips for breaking bad driving habits and increasing the lifespan of your brakes:
Brake Inspection.
When was the last time you’ve had your brakes checked? If you don’t remember the last time, it’s probably the time to have them inspected. Your vehicle should be serviced at least once a year or 12k miles. This will keep you in the loop with how they’re performing and prevent any unexpected repair jobs.
Avoid braking with a lead foot.
If possible, avoid random harsh braking. Sharp braking and sudden stops will wear your brakes and quickly decrease their lifespan.
Try to brake less frequently.
You may brake more during stop and go traffic. Try not to regularly gas and brake to move a couple of inches forward. If you can, wait a bit to allow your vehicle to move up a significant amount.
Watch your speed.
The faster you drive, the harder you’ll need to brake. Constant braking in this manner can wear your brake pads thin, so it’s always been to reduce driving speeds and stick to speed limits.
Flush Your Brake Fluid.
To increase the longevity of your car’s internal components, add periodic brake flushes to your vehicle maintenance routine. Your vehicle’s owner manual should have recommendations for how often you should replace your brake fluid.
How much weight is your vehicle holding?
Is your vehicle holding several heavy objects in your backseat or trunk? Any additional weight will cause slower acceleration and decrease your brakes’ lifespan. This extra weight will cause the brakes to work harder and wear faster. It’s best only to transport heavier objects when you need to, rather than for regular trips.
Brakes don’t last forever, and they aren’t meant to. Even with the best maintenance, unexpected brake issues will eventually pop up from time to time. These brake maintenance tips should help keep your brakes running strong. If you find yourself experiencing brake issues in Walnut Creek, our team at Oakmont Auto Carewould be happy to help.