7 Subaru Brake Checks

Brakes are the most essential safety feature in all vehicles. Knowing how to care for and repair your brakes can save your life and your passengers. If you are driving a Subaru, a brake warning will activate if your emergency brake is on or if you got a serious drop in the brake system’s hydraulic pressure. If you are seeing a problem in the brake system, go to a Subaru auto mechanic immediately. Here are the commons signs that you need to check your vehicle brakes:

1. Spongy/soft or low brake pedal

There are certain reasons that can make your brakes feel spongy or make your brake pedal travel closer to the floor than usual. This problem could require a simple adjustment or it may be something much more serious. If you feel or experience either of these situations, be sure to have your vehicle checked. You can go to a Subaru mechanic near me. They might identify one or more of the following causes that require maintenance.

2. Touchy Brakes

Touchy brakes refer to those that grab and stop with very little pedal pressure. It could indicate a simple problem like a contaminated brake lining, but could also be a very serious issue. 

3. High-pitched screeching

If you hear high-pitched screeching noise when you apply your brakes, keep calm as it doesn’t mean your brakes are going to give out any minute. However, the screech is actually coming from a little piece of metal built into your brake pads to let you know that the pads are getting low and need to be replaced soon. So when the brakes are calling, get a Subaru auto mechanic as soon as possible.

4. Brake pedal vibrations

The rotors in your car when warped cause vibration or pulsating through the brake pedal. Irresponsible braking is not the only cause of warping but also when the rotors become too old and thin, they are also susceptible to warping and will need to be replaced.

5. Slow-stopping response

When you need to stop quickly but it feels like the brakes are not stopping fast enough or not responsive as they should be, this could be an indication of a leak in the braking system. If you want to check where the leakage is, go to the Subaru mechanic near me.

6. Heavy grinding sounds

If for some reason, missed the screeching reminder that your brake pads are getting low, you’ll soon hear an even worse sound that is heavy metallic grinding or growling, which means the pads have worn down completely. At this late stage, replacement is likely out of the question – the grinding sound is coming from the metal plate rubbing against the rotor. This can scratch the rotors or even melt the metal together and cause your brakes to stick in a short period of time. With this, a safety hazard needs to be addressed immediately.

7. Extremely insensitive brakes

If you need to push the pedal nearly to the floor to get your brakes to engage, that could be a problem. This oftentimes means that you’re low on brake fluid or there’s air in the brake fluid or your brake pads are too thin. It could also be a symptom of a problem in your car’s hydraulic system.