Brakes are often “out of sight, out of mind” until you can’t stop or the grinding noise becomes so obnoxious you have to do something about it. Often, when the squeaker tab tells you the brake pads are too low, people don’t hear it over the radio. This is a great reason why it’s important to have regular brake inspections. An auto repair tech at Cantrell Service Center in North Little Rock AR, can let you know when you need brake repair service.
How Often You Should Inspect the Brakes on Your Vehicle
When you bring your vehicle in for an oil change every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, you should rotate the tires and check the brakes. When a Maumelle area auto tech removes the tires to rotate them, it makes the pads, rotors and calipers visible so the tech can determine how thin the pads and rotors are and whether the calipers are leaking brake fluid.
Reasons Brake Inspections are Essential
There are several reasons you should have the brakes on your vehicles inspected frequently, including:
- Safety: The most important reason to have the brakes on your vehicles checked frequently is safety reasons. Not only do you increase your safety and that of your family, but you also increase the safety of others on the road. Should you have to make an emergency stop, the brakes must be in optimal condition. Inspections find issues with the braking system before they become hazardous.
- Detect Problems Early: When you detect problems early, you can save a lot of money. If you change the brake pads before the squeaker starts scoring the rotors, you may be able to turn the rotors instead of replacing them.
- Extend Brake Component Life: By addressing wear and tear components early, you can extend the life of other components that don’t wear as quickly, such as calipers, master cylinders and brake hoses.
- Get Optimal Brake Performance: When you keep the brakes on your vehicle well maintained, you get better performance from the braking system as a whole. Better performance means shorter stopping distances and better handling.
- Fuel Efficiency: When the brakes are in optimal condition, it helps with fuel economy. If the brakes become misaligned or start to drag, you decrease fuel efficiency – in some cases, by quite a bit.
- Compliance with Regulations: Arkansas is one of the few states that do not require safety inspections on vehicles. However, if you own a fleet, your fleet manager may require brake and safety inspections.
- Maintaining Resale Value: When purchasing used vehicles, customers take into consideration how the vehicle was cared for, including whether you kept up with preventative maintenance and brake repair and service. You will most likely have a higher trade or resale value if you can prove you kept up with preventative maintenance and brake repair and service.
- Peace of Mind: Knowing that the brakes on your vehicle are in good condition gives you the confidence to avoid accidents by stopping quickly. A vehicle that is in perfect working condition, including the brakes and other safety features, also allows you to concentrate on the road.
Brake inspections at Cantrell Service Center in the Maumelle area are part of preventative maintenance. When you come in for oil changes or other preventative maintenance, we check the brakes because we want you to feel safe while driving your vehicle.
Contact Cantrell Service Center
If you are looking for a dealership alternative you can trust with the safety of your vehicle, get to know us at Cantrell Service Center. We work to get you in and out as quickly as possible without sacrificing quality. We use OEM parts and manufacturer-recommended aftermarket parts of the highest quality.
Contact Cantrell Service Center for an appointment by calling (501) 758-1188. We are conveniently located at 7601 Young Road, North Little Rock AR, 72118.
