Why Does My Vehicle Need a Brake Pad Replacement?

Before we can answer this question, let's first take a look at the disc braking system. When you step on the brake pedal in your Chevy, the calipers will tighten. The brake pads are attached to the calipers by their metal backing; a softer brake pad lining is pressed against the rotors to slow your vehicle down. The lining has to be softer to prevent friction damage, but this does mean that the lining will wear out sooner than other components. If you don't have the brake pads replaced by the time the lining wears down, you will open your Chevy up to greater potential damage when the brake pads’ metal backing is exposed and grinds against the rotors.

Brake Pad Replacement Interval

If you mainly drive in areas with heavy stop-and-go traffic, or if you tend to slam on the brakes frequently, you'll probably need to replace the brake pads around every 20,000 to 25,000 miles. If you do more highway driving, and if you're careful to slowly and smoothly brake, you may be able to go 40,000 to 60,000 miles between brake pad replacement.

Signs It’s Time to Replace Brake Pads

There are two main ways that you'll know it's time to replace your brake pads. Most brake pads have built-in wear indicators; when the lining gets low, your brakes will make a squealing sound when you step on the brake pedal. We don't recommend waiting this long, but it is a good last-ditch reminder. The better way to figure out that your brake pads need to be replaced is to come to Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet for a regular brake inspection. Our technicians will check your brake pad lining thickness and let you know if they need to be replaced soon.