About Brake Servicing

Different driving patterns have a dramatic effect on how often your brakes need servicing. For example, a set of brake pads could last up to 60,000 miles or more on a car driven mostly on the motorway, may last only 25,000 or 30,000 miles or less on the same vehicle driven in busy city traffic.

Front brakes normally wear out before rear brakes because they handle a higher percentage of the braking load, especially on front-wheel drive cars.

For safety reasons we recommended that brake pads should be replaced if the pad material has worn down to a thickness of 3 millimeters or less. Brake discs should also be inspected and their thickness should be measured. The discs should be replaced if they measure at or below the manufacturer's safe minimum thickness specification or show any other signs of excessive wear.

Seafield Services also recommends that brake discs or drums are replaced in axle sets. Replacing just one brake disc could cause an imbalance in braking performance that could lead to premature disc and tyre wear.

When new parts are fitted, it's important to drive gently and carefully until they 'bed in', this can take up to 200 miles. Excessive braking action on new parts will potentially damage them and lead to a loss of braking efficiency and performance.

How to Tell if Your Brakes Need Attention

There are a number of tell-tale signs to look out for when using your brakes. They include a grinding noise when you apply the brakes or a pull to the left or right. The grinding normally means that brake pads are excessively worn and need to be replaced along with the damaged brake discs. A pull to the left or right can be indicative of a sticking or seized mechanical or hydraulic component.

You may also feel a continuous "pulsating" from the pedal or a "spongy" feeling. This spongy feeling indicates that there is air in the hydraulic system due to a brake fluid leak. The "pulsating" feel is normally associated with a distorted brake disc or drum.

More obviously, you may notice an illuminated brake warning light on the instrument panel or that your handbrake is pulling up higher than it normally does - in modern cars, more than 6 to 8 clicks.

For safety's sake, it's important to have your vehicle inspected as quickly as possible when you notice any of the above symptoms.

Our Partners in Braking

Seafield Services use high quality brake parts from Brembo and Ferodo