7 Reasons Your Vehicle Needs a Car Brake Service

It doesn’t matter whether you drive to work every day or only use your car on weekends, for the safety of yourself, your family and everyone else on the road, you need your brakes to work perfectly. The problem is that when your brakes start to wear down, it can happen very slowly and you just don’t realise that a problem exists until you can’t stop your vehicle or you hear screeching from your brakes.

That’s why a regular car brake service is so important, because it can catch early warning signs, before they become catastrophic and you end up paying thousands of dollars for brake and clutch repairs. Neglecting your brakes, ignoring warning signs and not having regular services will only end up costing you a lot more money and possibly heartache in the future.

So having regular services, as well as car brake services is just common sense. One of the obvious signs that your brakes need attention is a screeching noise when you depress the brake pedal. This screeching noise means that that your brake pads are wearing down and there is not much left, so you need to replace them fast.

It’s important to note that just because you haven’t heard any screeching from your brakes, if you find that it takes longer to stop your vehicle or you have to increase the pressure on your brake pedal to actually stop your car, then you really need to book in for a car brake service before it is too late and your brakes fail.

Here are 7 signs that you need to book in for a car brake service soon:


1. Your brakes fail and the car does not stop.
2. Grinding noises when you depress the brakes.
3. Your steering wheel vibrates when you depress the brakes.
4. It takes longer to stop than normal.
5. Your car pulls to the left or right when braking.
6. Your handbrake is slow to work.
7. You have to depress the brake pedal harder.

If you don’t have regular car brake services, then you can end up paying thousands of dollars for brake and clutch repairs, so it pays to be vigilant and don’t ignore any warning signs that your brakes need attention.

How to Choose Experienced Vehicle Maintenance Services

All of us at some time or another need an experienced vehicle maintenance service centre, to either service our car, organise a pre purchase inspection or to perform diagnostics and mechanical repairs. Finding someone who is both experienced and reliable and also doesn’t charge too much, can be a difficult task sometimes.

So to make your search easier, here are a few tips on finding an experienced vehicle maintenance service in your area:

• Ask your friends and relatives: The easiest way to locate a good auto shop is to ask people you know for their recommendations. This can include your family and friends, as well as your work colleges and neighbours.

• Search online: If you have a collection of recommendations from people you know, then do a quick search online and check out their websites. Most vehicle maintenance services will have a website, making it easy to check out their services and their location.

• Visit the auto shop: If you have the time it is always best to actually visit the auto shop and ask them about the work you need performed. For example, if you want a pre purchase inspection or an auto brake service, then you can ask them to explain what is involved, face-to-face, which gives you a better idea of their experience and knowledge.

• Clear explanations:  If the mechanic explains himself well and is happy to answer all of your questions, this will give you more confidence in their ability. Someone who is too busy or reluctant to talk with you about your needs, may not bother to do a good job, so being friendly and accommodating is a good sign.

• Listen to you: Does the person at the vehicle maintenance service centre actually listen to what you have to say or do they ignore your thoughts and just talk right over you? If they listen, this usually means that they will do what you ask them to do, such as to contact you if the repairs come to more than $200 for example. If they don’t listen to you while you are simply talking, they might not listen to your instructions and you might end up with a much higher bill than you anticipated.

These are just a few tips that will hopefully help you find a reliable vehicle maintenance service centre in your area.