Brake Pad Service in Buena Park, CA

Close up view of a service tech checking out a vehicle's brake pads

Brake Pad Service at Premier Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Buena Park

Your brakes help you to stop quickly as you drive.  The condition of your brakes is important for your safety, your loved ones, and to others on the road. If you are not sure of the condition of your brakes, and if you live around Cerritos, Fullerton, or Lakewood, bring your car, truck, minivan, or SUV into Premier Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Buena Park for a brake inspection.

How Do My Brakes Work?

When your brakes work properly and you press on the brake pedal, fluid in the system creates hydraulic pressure in the hoses, brake lines, and in a piston in your brake calipers, which is mounted on a wheel knuckle that extends around a brake rotor. When you apply the brakes, this apparatus squeezes two brake pads against the rotor’s flat sides and the friction material on the pads grabs onto the metal rotor to slow down or stop your vehicle. If the pads are worn, it can be dangerous when you need to stop in a hurry.

It takes a lot to wear your brake pads out depending on the engineering and quality of the pads. Normally, your brake pads can last for tens of thousands of miles before wearing out to the point that they affect your stopping power. Generally, you can expect between 20,000 and 40,000 miles, but at some point, they will wear out and will need replacement.

How Can I Tell If My Pads Need to be Replaced?

Your brake pads are all similarly constructed with a steel backing plate that the friction material is bonded to, providing a means to stop. Three kinds of brake pads are made, going from most to least effective listed below:

  • Ceramic: These pads combine things like porcelain and clay with copper fibers for quieter stopping, reduction in rotor wear, and longer wear life.
  • Semi-metallic: These pads combine metals like iron, steel, and copper mixed with non-metallic compounds like graphite and other fillers. They last long but are noisy and they wear rotors more rapidly.
  • Organic or Non-Metallic: These pads take cellulose, aramid, and other compounds in several different quantities according to the manufacturer. These are quiet and fairly soft, so they are easy on rotors but have a short lifespan.

Whatever pads you use, they wear out like anything else eventually. The best way to discover the condition of your brakes is to do a visual inspection for signs of wear, but some signs help you to conclude that your pads may need to be replaced.

Signs Your Brake Pads are Wearing Out.

  • Pulling to the side
  • Pulsing on the pedal
  • Grooves in the rotor surface
  • Long stopping distances
  • Grinding or whining when you drive or brake
  • Squealing when you stop.

Any of these signs can mean it is time to have your brake pads replaced, so contact our Service Department at Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Buena Park and set up an appointment to have your brakes inspected or schedule an appointment online.

If your brake pads wear out, it can be dangerous for you and others. If you suspect you need new pads, let Premier CDJR of Buena Park solve your automotive troubles today.