Brakes don’t usually fail without warning. They’ll squeak, grind, vibrate, or pull weeks before they actually let you down. Knowing what each symptom means can save you a lot of money, and possibly a lot more than that.
High-pitched squeak when braking gently
This is usually the wear indicator on your brake pads, a small metal tab designed to scrape against the disc when the pad is nearly worn out. It’s not yet dangerous, but it’s a clear warning: you’ve got maybe 500-1,000 miles before the pad is gone and you’ll start damaging the disc itself.
What to do: book in for a brake pad replacement within the next couple of weeks. Front pads are £120 fitted; rears are also £120.
Loud grinding or scraping sound
You’ve gone past the warning stage. The pad is now metal-on-metal, scoring grooves into your brake disc. Every brake application is doing more damage. Stopping distances will be longer than normal.
What to do: stop driving the car except to get it to a garage. The longer you leave it, the more likely you’ll need new discs as well as pads, which doubles the bill.
Pulsing or vibration through the brake pedal
Usually warped brake discs. Caused by overheating (heavy braking from high speed, or sitting on the brake on long descents) or by uneven pad wear. The car still stops, but you feel a rhythmic juddering through the pedal as the discs rotate.
What to do: book a brake inspection. Sometimes discs can be skimmed if they’re not too far gone; usually replacement is more cost-effective.
Pulling to one side under braking
One side is braking harder than the other. Could be a sticking caliper, a contaminated pad, or a brake hose collapsing internally. This affects your safety in an emergency stop and shouldn’t be ignored.
What to do: get it diagnosed soon. We charge from £45 for a brake diagnostic.
Soft, spongy pedal
Air or moisture in the brake fluid, or a leak somewhere in the hydraulic system. The pedal travels further than normal before the brakes bite.
What to do: get it checked immediately. This is the one symptom on this list that can lead to total brake failure if ignored.