3 Ways to Increase the Average Life of Car Brakes

Keeping your vehicle's brakes in working shape can often mean life or death while driving in emergency situations. Because brake pads are meant to withstand friction and strain by nature, it stands to reason that they often wear out in time. The amount of use and length ultimately depends on the amount of strain and quality of parts used.

For instances, while some brake sets can take 70,000 miles (112,500km) before giving out, this is only assuming the driver has minimized wearisome driving habits. More often, brakes will lose their efficacy following 25,000 miles (40,000km). While there's no way to make brakes last indefinitely, there are several things you can keep in mind to ensure they last as long as they can.

Smooth driving and soft braking

Braking at higher speeds places an increasingly disproportionate strain on the brakes. As a general rule, if you need to brake at high speeds outside of emergency situations, you're probably going too fast or stepping on the gas for too long. Regulating your speed and softly braking can ease off the strain on your brakes; doing this also has the effect of resulting in a smoother ride for you and your passengers. Hard braking should only be used in emergency situations and split-second decisions.

Using proper braking technique

When you're stopping at lights and intersections, it is healthier for the brakes to come to a complete stop, rather than allowing the wheels to inch forward. This wheel creep means the wheels are under constant friction; braking the wheels further and stopping the car completely will generally put less wear on the brakes. On the topic of braking, it's also good to commit to only using your right foot for braking and gas alike. Nothing wears out brakes (and tires!) unnecessarily like applying pressure to both pedals simultaneously. While this doesn't have any practical benefits to the car or driver, it's nonetheless a surprisingly common mistake that you should avoid if you want to maximize the longevity of your brake set.

Making brake-conscious car decisions

Regardless of a driver's braking habits, the overall strain can be generally lessened if you lighten the load of a car. Taking out unnecessary luggage will result in less friction for the brakes. Although it may sound like an obvious fact, the life of brakes can be extended by minimizing their use. Although you definitely shouldn't be frugal with braking while you're out driving, you may be able to plan your car trips accordingly, favoring routes with less congestion and fewer intersections.

Brakes should be regularly maintained to improve their longevity. You should get your brake fluid regularly changed. Maintaining your parts is important across the board, but it should be noted that the quality of parts has a big effect on longevity. It should also be noted that most of the things you can do to minimize brake wear will also improve your vehicle's fuel efficiency. If you want the best from your brakes, you should consider upgrading your brake set. If you're interested in having your brakes looked over, don't hesitate to reach out to a YourMechanic representative for help.


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Collins

13 years of experience
678 reviews
Collins
13 years of experience
Chevrolet Malibu L4-1.5L Turbo - Brakes, Steering and Suspension Inspection - Atlanta, Georgia
Collins is the best! He was very nice, and professional. He saved me money and told me exactly what I dont need and what I need. I'm going to call him for everything! I just moved to Atlanta and it's sooo nice to know there is a mechanic I can trust.
Buick Lucerne - Brakes, Steering and Suspension Inspection - Atlanta, Georgia
Collins always shows me the issues with my car and tells me how to remedy the problems. He is friendly and knowledgeable.

William

35 years of experience
731 reviews
William
35 years of experience
Jaguar XJ8 V8-4.2L - Brakes, Steering and Suspension Inspection - Sun City West, Arizona
As always, William was courteous and straight forward. Very helpful. He left his flashlight here, by the way.
Jaguar XJ8 - Brakes, Steering and Suspension Inspection - Sun City West, Arizona
Mr. Wolf has a broad view of many car brands and experience in diagnosing problems in a wide variety of makes and models. He is courteous and friendly. He provided options for repairs to our car with no "hard sell". I look forward to working with him.

Marco

30 years of experience
329 reviews
Marco
30 years of experience
Dodge Durango V8-4.7L - Brakes, Steering and Suspension Inspection - Riverside, California
Marco was on time, seems like a great guy! He got to work right away and checked everything out very quickly, and he sent me the estimates right away. Very thorough inspection!
Toyota Camry - Brakes, Steering and Suspension Inspection - Moreno Valley, California
Marco is a awesome mechanic, very professional and attention to every detail and very friendly. I highly recommend him!

Jermarcus

13 years of experience
70 reviews
Jermarcus
13 years of experience
Mazda CX-9 V6-3.7L - Brakes, Steering and Suspension Inspection - Fayetteville, Georgia
Jermarcus was professional, showed up on time and completely did a great job servicing our vehicle. Very Knowledgeable and considerate. Did the job right the first time.

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