Spending money on car repairs is the last thing any of us want to do, but it is a necessary evil. Generally, if you wait too long to get something fixed or replaced, it will end up costing you more than the original repair. Knowing when to change your brake pads is important; otherwise it can be very costly.

Step 1

If you bought your car new from a dealership, you can refer to your manual which should give you an idea of how many miles your brake pads should last you. Just keep that number in mind, and remember to consider getting new brake pads when you have reached that stated mileage. This does depend on your driving habits. Some people need new brake pads faster than others. I managed to make it 70,000 miles before I had to change mine.

Step 2

In either case, if you bought your car new or used, you can check the thickness of your brake pad yourself. Just take the tire off, and inspect the thickness of the brake pad. Most brake pad repairmen will tell you to replace your pads when they are 2 to 3mm thick. Keep in mind, new break pads are usually 10mm thick. Some people even say wait until the pads have the same thickness as a dime.

Step 3

The last way you can decide yourself, is to wait until you hear your brakes squealing. This a final warning telling you to get your brake pads changed as soon as possible. If you wait too long you might damage the rotors, which will double the price of your brake repair.

Step 4

If you’re undecided or don’t want to be bothered with checking it yourself, you can always take your vehicle to a dealer service department. They will be able to take a look at it and decide rather quickly if your brakes need changed. If you’re already hearing the squealing noise, they will probably take it for a quick test drive and let you know. Worst case, if they don’t need changed, they can give you a good estimate of how many more miles you can drive before your brake pads will need changed.