We here at Fountain City Auto Clinic want to warn you that if your brakes are squealing and they smell hot, you need to pull over right away. We will get into this in more detail below, but these two symptoms are a sign that your brakes are overheating, so let’s dig deeper into overheating brakes.
Reasons Why Brakes Squeal
The first symptom of overheating brakes is squealing. The reason why your brakes are squealing is that your brake pads and rotors have gotten too hot. This can happen if you ride your brakes. When the brake pads and rotors get too hot, they glaze, which means their surfaces smooth out. The brake pads and rotors rely on rough surfaces to stop your automobile, so the smooth surfaces affect your braking capabilities. Your brakes may also squeal when they are wet, but this sound should stop once the brakes have warmed up enough to disintegrate the water. Finally, brakes also squeal if they are worn down to an indicator that tells you it’s time to replace the brake pads.
Different Brake Smells
You should never smell your brakes. If you smell something hot every time you apply the brakes, your brakes are overheating. You might smell burning rubber the first few times you use your brakes after you’ve had the brake pads replaced, but other than that, your brakes should be odorless. If your brake fluid is too hot, and it can get so hot that it boils, you will smell burning chemicals. If your brake pads are glazed, you will smell burning carpet. No matter what, if you can smell your brakes, you need to pull over to safety and get towed to an auto service shop.
A Dangerous Combination
The reason why it’s best to be overly-cautious is that, as we said above, if your brakes are overheating, you will lose brake control. Hot brakes eventually fail, and you will find yourself in the very sticky situation of being unable to stop your car, CUV, SUV, or truck. It’s not worth the risk to continue to push your brakes if they are getting too hot. As we also said above, your brakes could be overheating because you are riding them, but mechanical failure can also make them overheat, so if you haven’t had your brakes serviced in a long time, this could be the problem.
Look no further than Fountain City Auto Clinic in Knoxville, TN, for your brake service and repair needs. We can find out why your brakes are overheating and recommend the appropriate course of action.