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The most important part of your car is its brakes. Healthy brakes reduce the risk of accident, whereas faulty brakes can cost lives.
Get them checked regularly, once a year at least; it's cheaper than expensive bodywork repairs. You should also make sure you know the important danger signs, so that you can bring your car in before you get any costly failures. You can make the road safer for your family - it's not worth it to gamble.
At our garages based in Hendon and Colindale where we serve customers from across the city of London, we carry out regular annual maintenance checks on car and van brakes. We remove the wheels and inspect them thoroughly - we'll check the brake lining wear, brake disc thickness, brake fluid level and condition, brake hoses and brake lines. We'll even take your car for a short test drive to spot any other potential brake problems. Any issues will be resolved and the car will be returned to you, safe and sound for another year.
Every two years, your brake system should be flushed and the brake fluid replaced. Why? Because brake fluid absorbs water, and this has a number of knock-on effects.
Brake fluid that contains water can become acidic, causing expensive components to corrode and need replacing. The water could thin the brake fluid, making it ineffective. If the water becomes vapour, it will create air pockets that again make your brakes less effective. And that water can freeze, too, meaning your brake cables are completely jammed.
It's absolutely vital to have your brake fluid changed every two years. We can handle that for you.
Regular maintenance checks and replacing the brake fluid every two years should protect you from serious brake issues. However, unexpected failures can happen at any time, so for your own safety, it's important to stay alert! A brake warning light is an obvious sign, but there are others to watch out for.
A grinding noise is often the first indicator, and small metal flakes on your wheels are a common sign. Unusual vibrations, heavy steering and a "grabby" feel to the brakes all mean you need to get your car checked by a professional.
Another clue is the behaviour of the brake pedal. Does yours feel "spongy" when you press it? Or perhaps it feels unnaturally hard and unresponsive? Both changes to the brake pedal behaviour could indicate problems with the brake disc or the brake fluid.
If in doubt at all, come and see us. Prompt action could literally be a lifesaver.
