Brake Pad Replacement in Albany, CA
Welcome to Adams Autoworx Albany – the premier auto repair shop for the Albany and Kensington area. Our full service Albany auto repair shop offers a complete range of brake repair and maintenance services. Among brake services, brake pad replacement is undoubtedly the most frequent service. Brake pads are “friction” items – they are designed to generate friction that stops your vehicle, but in the process they wear out.
At Adams Autoworx Albany we routinely perform brake inspections, and in particular, we inspect brake pads, measure their thickness, and we inspect rotors as well. Having done the inspection, we can recommend the correct course of action.
Clues that it’s time to replace brake pads:
Fortunately, there are many ways you can tell it’s time to replace brake pads:
- Recently manufactured vehicles have sensors built into pads – brake warning light will come on the dashboard when it is time to replace brake pads.
- Grinding noise when braking is a clue that brake pads have likely worn off and your brakes are “metal to metal” – not only are brake pads gone, but now rotors are being damaged as well. This can be a serious safety hazard so set up a brake repair appointment asap.
- If the car pulls to one side when braking, it is probably brake calipers that are not functioning correctly. Brake calipers are replaced in pairs, even if only one is malfunctioning. Fortunately brake calipers don’t fail very often.
- Squealing or squeaking brakes tell you it’s time for a competent brake mechanic to inspect the brakes – it may not be the brake pads, but something is going on and it needs to be investigated.
- Finally, if there is any brake warning light on, or any brake maintenance message, or you simply feel uneasy about the brake system – bring your car for brake service as soon as possible – your safety is at stake.
What happens during brake pad replacement?
First thing we do is bring your vehicle up on a lift, take the wheels off, and inspect the brake pads and brake rotors. We measure brake pads to be sure that new pads are necessary. We also check the calipers – we want to make sure that they operate correctly – sometimes a caliper might not release properly and it feels that the car is being pulled to one side.
We also check brake fluid lines for leaks, and test the brake fluid itself – brake fluid absorbs moisture from the surrounding environment. Time will come that the water content of the brake fluid will increase to a level that requires brake fluid replacement (otherwise the water will cause damage to brake system components).
Brake pads are replaced in pairs – either on the front axle or the rear axle. It is very rare that pads on both axles have to be replaced at the same time, though it does happen.
Naturally, during brake pad replacement we also lubricate the brake system, and will top off the brake fluid as necessary. Once the brake pad replacement is completed, we will test the new pads, including a test drive to verify that brakes work properly under real world conditions.
Brakes are the critical safety system on your vehicle. Any time you have questions, concerns, or something “does not feel right”, bring your vehicle to Adams Autoworx Albany for a professional brake inspection. Your peace of mind and your safety are paramount.
We make it easy to set up an appointment – you can make an appointment online, or you can call us at the shop – we are open Monday through Friday, and are happy to take your call.