What Are The Signs Of Bad Brake Pads?

Brake pads are a part of the disc brakes. They are positioned between the caliper assembly and the brake rotor disc. 

Brake pads play a critical role in the braking system and are essential to slowing down the car. 

Unlike a brake shoe (which is a part of drum brakes and lasts longer), brake pads wear out more often, affecting the braking performance. 

So here’s how you can identify old or faulty brake pads:

1. Noisy Brake System

If a vehicle has worn brake pads, you’ll notice excessive noises coming from the braking system. 

These can include: 

• Loud squealing or screeching noises that are caused by the small metal wear indicators.
• Deep, low metal grinding, growling, or rumbling sounds caused by the brake pads’ backing plate grinding on the brake disc. 

Both of these indicate that the brake pads have worn out thin. As a result, the wear indicators or backing plates are in direct contact with the brake disc. 

It could also be the case that you have damaged rotors or other brake parts that need replacing. In this case, you’ll need to get a brake inspection done to identify the necessary auto repair required.

2. Noticeable Physical Wear And Tear

Old, worn brake pads are always visibly tattered when it’s time to change them. 

Since you can’t really see the brake pads without removing the wheels, your mechanic will only be able to check the brake pads’ actual condition during a brake inspection. 

Generally, if the thickness of the friction material on a brake pad is less than ¼ inch thick (about seven millimeters), you’ll have to get new pads. 

3. Unusual Feeling When Braking

If your steering wheel feels loose or shaky when braking, it could be reflecting uneven wear on your brake pads. 

Sometimes the friction material transfers unevenly to the rotor surface, which is why you may experience vibrations while braking. 

If left untreated, the brake pads will develop more uneven spots — ultimately worsening the vibrations when handling the steering wheel and the ‘wobbly’ feeling on the brake pedal. 

4. Brake Warning Light Turns On

Most modern vehicles are equipped with a brake pad sensor and a brake warning light on their dashboard that notify the driver of an issue with the brakes.

You can check your manufacturer’s manual to see if this light has a ‘low-pad’ warning system. If it does, you’ll easily know when it’s time to reach out for brake service repairs.

How Much Does A Brake Pad Replacement Cost?

The cost of your brake pad replacement is determined by two factors — labor charges and the price of your car parts. In this case, the quality of your brake pads plays a major role in how costly the replacement will be.

Generally, you can expect to pay about $100-$150 in labor costs. 

To that, add the cost of your new pads. This can range anywhere from $50 per axle (on the low end) to $100 per axle (on the higher end). 

So, in total, you’ll be paying anywhere from $150-$300 per axle (parts+labor). 

That means an estimated overall cost of $300-$600 for your car. This doesn’t cover additional repairs that may be needed, like a rotor replacement which often comes together with brake pad replacements.

How Critical Is A Brake Pad Replacement?

Because worn-out brake pads will directly affect your car’s braking power, we’d say getting a brake repair is pretty urgent. 

Driving with bad brake pads can be quite dangerous. Your car may take longer to halt, or altogether lose its braking ability. Worn brake pads will also damage the other parts of the brake system, resulting in further costly repairs.

While you can’t really avoid getting a brake pad replacement, proper driving habits and a few car care tips should help delay brake pad wear. 

However, if you do notice symptoms pointing to bad brake pads, get a brake service ASAP and new pads installed on your ride.

3 Brake Pad Replacement FAQs

Let’s take a look at some common queries about brake pads and their answers:

1. What Is A Brake Pad?

Brake pads are an important part of the disc brakes system. Basically, their job is to apply the necessary pressure and friction that slows down the wheels and then stops the car. 

They are typically available as metallic, semi-metallic, and ceramic brake pads.

Here’s how they work: 

• When you press down on the brake pedal, the master cylinder sends brake fluid through the brake hose (brake line). 
• Once this reaches the caliper assembly, the caliper engages the brake pads. 
• Your car’s brake pads flank the brake rotor (a flat, shiny brake disc that you can sometimes see just behind the wheels). The brake pads apply pressure to the rotor, which is directly connected to the wheel.
• This pressure results in friction that slows down and stops the wheel.

2. How Often Should I Change My Car’s Brake Pads?

How long your brake pads last will depend on several factors, including your vehicle type, driving habits, climate, etc. 

For example, if you drive in traffic-prone areas, you’ll engage your brakes more often. This will accelerate your brake pad wear.  The potential for a brake problem can be higher if you don’t maintain your brake pads.

That said, in general, brake pads can last for anywhere from 15,000 to 70,000 miles. 

However, it’s a good idea to perform a brake inspection every 20,000 or so miles to ensure that they’re functioning well. 

Moreover, front brake pads tend to wear out faster than rear brake pads. So you might need to change out the front brake pads before a rear brake pad replacement.

3. How To Change Brake Pads?

Brake pad replacement can be a pretty tricky process. So unless you’re someone with good mechanical knowledge, it’s best to let an auto services professional handle the brake repair. 

That being said, here’s a general walk-through for a brake pad replacement:

1. Start by parking the vehicle on a flat, dry surface and applying the parking brake. Place a jack under its frame. 
2. Next, remove the lug nuts and the wheel and locate the brake caliper assembly. 
3. Locate the two slider bolts (also called ‘pins’) that hold the caliper in place.
4. Once the bottom bolt is removed, the brake caliper should pivot upwards. The rubber hose (hydraulic line) will flex to allow this, so you don’t have to disconnect the hydraulic brake line.
5. Inspect the thickness of the brake pads. They are generally considered to be worn out if the friction material is one-eighth of an inch thick or less.
6. Next, locate the retaining clips that hold the old brake pad in place, and slide out the brake pads.
7. Replace the retaining clips and apply some brake grease on them to keep them from squeaking. 
8. Proceed to slide in the new brake pads and retract (push back) the caliper piston. 
9. Monitor the brake fluid level. New brake pads can often make brake fluid reservoirs overflow, drain out some fluid if needed.
10. Next, reposition the calipers and reinstall the slider bolts.
11. Repeat the same procedure on the other side and test your new brake pads to ensure that everything is working right.