If you commute on the 405, the 101 or the 10, your brakes work far harder than the odometer suggests. Every slowdown turns motion into heat, and in heavy traffic that happens hundreds of times before you reach the office.
Why city driving is harder on brakes
Highway miles at a steady speed barely touch the pads. Stop-and-go driving does the opposite. Repeated braking keeps pads and rotors hot, which speeds up wear and can glaze the friction surface so the brakes feel weaker and noisier.
What to watch for
A high-pitched squeal usually means the wear indicators are touching the rotor. Grinding means the pad material is gone. A pulsing pedal points to uneven rotors, and a soft pedal can mean old, moisture-laden brake fluid.
How to make them last longer
Leave more space so you can coast instead of braking hard, avoid resting your foot on the pedal, and have the fluid checked on schedule. Most importantly, have the pads measured at every service so a cheap pad replacement never turns into a rotor and caliper job.
Not sure how much life your brakes have left? Stop by for an inspection and we will show you exactly what we find.