How Long Can You Drive with Grinding Brakes?
You’ve been driving your vehicle for miles without encountering any issues, and then suddenly, grinding sounds start coming from your brakes whenever you push on the pedal. However, when you need to slow or stop the vehicle, the brake will still function normally. Should you be concerned about the grinding sound that you’re hearing?
How much longer can you drive with brakes that are grinding? It may be possible to continue operating the vehicle after suffering brake damage. However, the extent of the damage will determine how long this will be feasible. However, it would be best if you did not do this for a few different reasons:
- It’s not safe.
- Using the vehicle while the brakes are grinding will worsen the problem and raise the repair expense.
When you spot a problem with your vehicle’s brakes or any other component, it is always a good idea to get your automobile serviced and repaired as soon as possible. In the case of the brakes, the issue will not fix itself; instead, it will only worsen. After hearing a grinding sound from your brakes, you should have them checked out as soon as possible for the reasons explained in this article.
How Long Can You Drive with Grinding Brakes?
It is impossible to predict when you may have problems with your vehicle. The following day, your driving experience is as smooth as silk, but the day after that, you hear grinding sounds from your brakes. When something like this occurs, and you haven’t planned for it in your budget, the temptation to deal with the issue until you have the necessary funds might be substantial.
However, there are better choices than waiting in this situation. If the damage isn’t too severe, grinding brakes could still operate for a while, but driving the car while it’s in this condition would worsen the problem.
According to Axle Addict, the grinding noise that your brakes create results from inadequate pad material being utilized in the brakes. Consequently, the rotors and the pads wear down to the point where there is no more braking material between them.
If this occurs, you must replace the brake pads immediately. Failure to do so will result in a rise in your replacement expenses because each time you stomp on your brake pedal, you cause further damage to the calipers, pads, and rotors, all of which are expensive components to repair. Therefore, it is in everyone’s best interest to address a minor issue before it develops into a major one.
How to Troubleshoot Grinding Brakes
A lot of noise comes from automobiles, mainly if you’ve owned them for a long time and the components are starting to wear down. In this circumstance, it is easy to mistake another sound with the sound of the brakes grinding. Because of this, you need to recognize when the brakes on your vehicle are crushing and when they are not.
In that case, how do you go about doing it? It’s not hard at all. Even if you hear a grinding sound coming from your brakes while you are not driving the vehicle, there is likely no damage to the brakes. The noise may be caused by gravel lodged in your brakes.
If you are attempting to bring the car to a halt or slow it down by depressing the brake pedal, and you hear a grinding sound, you should be concerned about the situation. When this occurs, it indicates that your brake pads have worn down to the point that they need to be changed, and you should do so as soon as possible.
How Much Does It Cost to Fix Grinding Brakes?
The final price will be determined by the degree of damage sustained by your brakes. It will be a lot less expensive for you if the only item that needs to be replaced is the brake pad rather than if you need to repair everything from the calipers to the rotors.
If the only thing wrong with your brakes is that they need to be repaired, you should anticipate spending anywhere from $300 to $800 to do so, depending on the type of your car and several other considerations. If you need to repair the complete braking system, the cost might be more than a thousand dollars.
However, these rates might change depending on which mechanic you go to. Therefore, make sure you do your homework and discover the finest deal.
What Causes Grinding Brakes?
There are a few explanations for why brakes could start creating a grinding sound. It might be due to several other factors at once.
However, it is essential to understand these factors to maintain the best possible condition for your car.
1. Not Driving the Car for a Long Time
If you have kept your vehicle in storage for an extended period, there is a reasonable risk that some of its components may begin to rust, mainly if the storage circumstances are not ideal. The brakes are one of the parts of a vehicle prone to rusting because of their exposure to moisture. If the rust has gone to the brake pads, you may hear a grinding sound whenever you step on the brake pedals. This will happen when the rust reaches the places.
Before putting your car away for storage, the Car Bibles recommend that you drive it for a few minutes over a small distance now and again. Your vehicle will remain in excellent shape and experience less rust if you do this.
2. Worn Out Brake Pads
Worn-out brake pads are one of the most prevalent sources of squeaking and grinding sounds that may be heard coming from your brakes. This occurs over time because the brake pads continually contact the rotors and calipers.
When you drive your automobile more often, the brake pads will wear out more quickly. Because of this, it is recommended that you change your brake pads every 30,000 kilometers (20,000 miles). If you don’t do this, you could have to deal with a far more significant issue in the future.
3. Insufficient Lubrication
The moving components need enough lubrication for a vehicle to operate correctly. Not even the brakes are an exception to this rule. If you do not grease the caliper bolts, the brakes will create a grinding sound, and this will occur even if the other elements of the vehicle have enough lubrication.
To our relief, this is one of the solutions that won’t break the bank. Simply having the bolts lubricated and replaced by your technician should be all required to get you back on the road. On the other hand, this will stop the grinding sound if the issue is caused by a lack of lubrication, which is not always the case.
4. Poor Quality Brake Pads
As stated by Car From Japan, low-quality brake components are said to be the other factor contributing to grinding brakes. The vast majority of individuals are under the impression that purchasing brake pads of lower quality would allow them to save some money, but this is not the case. Because of how quickly they get worn out, you will wind up paying more money overall as a result of this.
Brake pads of poor quality can include metal pieces, which, when they rub continually against the rotors, may cause significant wear and tear. Therefore, choosing products from well-known manufacturers is in your best interest if you want to update your brake pads. You won’t regret investing extra money on high-quality brake pads, so be bold.
5. Obstructions
It is common for pebbles, grit, and filth to get lodged between the rotor and the caliper of a vehicle’s brake system. While this occurs, the grinding sound caused by the friction of these foreign items may be heard even while you are not driving the car.
It would be best to correct the issue as soon as you become aware since the friction from pebbles and other foreign objects may harm the rotor and the calipers.
6. Worn Out Shims
Broken shims are another factor that may lead to grinding brakes. When a shim reaches the end of its useful life and breaks off, the metal fragments left behind may come into touch with another component of your braking system, such as the rotor. You may hear the grinding sounds caused by contact between the two metals.
As a result of this, the easiest way to prevent this issue from occurring is to have your shims adjusted whenever you have your brakes repaired. However, you should rely on something other than the technician to complete it. Sometimes, they rush to finish the work and won’t automatically replace your shims. This might be frustrating. It would help if you told the technician that you would also need the shims to be changed.
In Conclusion
Getting behind the wheel of a car with faulty brakes is never a brilliant idea. It is not worth the risk since you not only endanger your own life but also do additional harm to your automobile and the lives of other people who are driving on the road. As a result, as soon as you hear those grinding sounds, you should start looking for a mechanic as quickly as possible. You’re going to be happy that you did it.