Speeding down a road, enjoying the drive and out of nowhere someone decides to cross the street, you hit the brakes - there is no response? A scary scenario to think of it, imagine living through it.

Brakes are the most vital part of the car!! Period.

Brakes, suspension, and wheel alignment are three aspects of the car that not only damage the car's system when they are worn out and need repair. They could quickly turn into devastating fatal accidents.

So it is imperative you check the brakes to make sure they don't show any of these four signs of wearing out. If you do see any signs of repair, then drive to your nearest ZDegree facility for complete brakes and suspension services. You could even get your tires serviced and have your wheels digitally aligned.

Being on the lookout for these four signs of repair will make sure you are never put in a compromising situation.

Loud screeching when you hit the brakes.

Brakes work on a simple principle - when the brakes are applied, the brake pads, the circular pads parallel to the wheel are pushed on to the brake rotor or brake drum. It increases the friction between the wheels and the brake drum, thereby decreasing the speed and slowly bringing it to a halt.

The Brake pads are made of metal, or ceramic shavings kept together with a resin. The brake pads are usually much softer than the brake drum; by this, it tends to wear out as it presses over the brake drums. But there is an inbuilt marker for when the brake pads wear out beyond a safe limit.  A metal lining is embedded in the pad, and its shiny surface gets exposed when the brake pads thin down — making a loud screeching noise when you apply the brakes. Brake pads are usually changed for every 40,000 to 100,000 km.

If you ignore this and keep driving, then you'll end up hearing a scary grinding noise. It is red alert time! The brake pads have worn out to bare metal, and it is grinding against the brake drum. At this stage of wear out, immediate intervention needs to be done, and you need to get to the service center. Or you stand to damage the brake drum, which is quite an expensive part to replace.

Head to the nearest ZDegree service center for excellent brakes services done by expert mechanics who provide reliable and efficient service.

Slow to respond or poorly responsive brakes.

What this means, is that the brake pedal has more play and does not translate the motion of applying the brakes to the brake pads. This happens when there is a fault in the brakes hydraulic system.

It could be an air leak in the brake hose or loss of hydraulic fluid. Both of these could lead to a reduced response of the brake pedal — a dangerous situation, especially if you are speeding on a highway. 

If you sense that the brakes are being less responsive, either drive slowly to a service center knowing well enough that your brakes are faulty or it is best advised to get your car towed away. Get your vehicle to ZDegree, we will take care of the fluid leak and send you on your way soon.

Your car tends to side to one side on braking.

When one of the wheels is misaligned, the brake pad on the misaligned tire wears out at a much faster rate than the rest of the tires. This makes the misaligned tire slow to stop while braking. Hence, a feeling of being 'pulled' is sensed. 

Get to ZDegree to get your wheels digitally aligned and get your brake pads checked for wear and appropriate replacement.

Drive by ZDegree for excellent brakes services and also regular maintenance so that you are always on top of preventive care for your car and can avert an unfortunate situation.Your car vibrates when the brakes are applied.

A clear indication that the brake drums are warped, the brake pads are getting 'bumped' off while the brakes are applied. Brake drums get warped when there is uninterrupted braking for a long time.