It is common knowledge among drivers that car brakes are crucial when it comes to the functionality and safety of these vehicles. If you have bad brakes they are an inevitable recipe for disaster. However, many people do not know that driving habits also play a prominent role in deciding the time the brakes of a car last. Most vehicles tend to last between 20,000 and 70,000 miles before their brakes need replacement. A lot of factors influence the lifespan of a brake and this is why it varies to such an extent among cars. Here we would look at how you can extend your car brakes’ lifespan.
Here are the top five ways to make car brakes last longer
1. Do not be a speed demon
High speed is the arch nemesis of brakes. If you are traveling at a high speed your car would have to exert more brake material and energy to stop itself. Thus, experts always prescribe traveling within the speed limit.
2. Practice coasting
In coasting, you take your foot off the gas pedal thus allowing the vehicle to slow down naturally before the brakes are applied. This is not the correct option for every situation that you face on the road. However, it works when you are preparing to turn off your car or when you see a stop sign ahead of you.
3. Use only one foot
You may have seen cars increasing their speed while the brake lights are on. This happens mainly when you press the gas pedal with one foot while pressing the brake pedal with the other one. This is an unsafe practice for regular drivers and means you are always applying pressure on the brakes which is risky.
4. Try engine braking
You would always have the temptation to use your brakes while winding down a mountain or coming down a steep hill. Rather than pressing the brake pedal, you could employ the technique of engine braking where the engine does all the heavy lifting in this case.
5. Increase the gap
A tailgater is nobody’s favorite and this goes for your brakes too. The reason for this is that when you follow the car ahead of you too closely you would press the brake pedal more frequently and firmly. This means your brake system would suffer more wear and tear. Keep some distance from the cars before you so that it is easier for you to save the brakes.
Apart from what we have said so far you must lighten the load on your car as much as possible. If you put too much load on your car it would reduce your car’s brake’s lifespan significantly. The heavier your car more the work for the brakes to stop. You must also flush the brake fluid at definite intervals as it attracts water naturally and this reduces its boiling point which means your brakes are not working as well. Let the professionals handle regular inspection. This is because brakes have some issues that only a trained and experienced pair of eyes can detect.
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