The brake system on a motor vehicle is the most critical system on the vehicle. If the engine or transmission fails, you can coast to the side of the road,but if the brake system fails you could be in for big trouble.

Complete brake system failure is uncommon. Most of the vehicles on the road today are equipped with a dual brake system which will isolate the front brakes from the rear in the case of a sudden loss of brake fluid such as a ruptured brake hose. In this case, the unaffected (front or rear) system will provide enough braking to stop the vehicle. Most vehicles are equipped with a warning light system that will inform the driver of a malfunction. This warning light should never be ignored. Most vehicles are also equipped with brake pad wear sensors that will emit a squealing noise when the pads are worn to a point where they should be replaced. If the pads or brake shoes become worn beyond that point, metal to metal contact will usually destroy the brake rotor or drum. I have actually seen brake rotors that were worn so thin that they disintegrated and allowed the caliper piston to blow out of the caliper. There is no excuse for allowing this to happen.

Choosing the right brake mechanic or shop is critical if you want a safe, properly functioning brake system. Although price is important, it should not be the number one priority. Avoid the shops that advertise a complete 4 wheel brake job for $99.98 I assure you that no shop could remain in business doing brake jobs at that price. If you "fall" for that advertised price, you will end with a repair bill of $300 or more. I firmly believe that the well established, independent shops are the best way to go. A reputable shop will give you an estimate and in most cases the final repair cost will not exceed the estimate.

When the first brake replacement is needed on your vehicle, it is usually only necessary to replace the front brake pads (especially on passenger cars). In my many years of experience, I have found that the rear brakes will normally outlast 2 sets of front brakes. This is because the greater percentage of the braking force is supplied by the front brakes. That is why most cars are equipped with disc brakes on the front, and drum brakes on the rear. However, I always recommend pulling the rear drums for inspection, cleaning the brake dust and manually adjusting the rear brakes if they are of the drum type (the self adjusters will not maintain a "full" brake pedal).

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