Brakes, and the sounds and feelings that mean it's time

A change in how the pedal feels, a new noise, a dashboard light or a hot smell is a reason to have the brakes checked soon. Some of these signs mean you should stop driving.

What you feel

Three signs show up while you're braking:

• A pull to one side. The car drifts left or right when you press the pedal, even on a straight, level road.
• A pedal that sinks. The pedal keeps going down toward the floor while you hold steady pressure on it.
• Scraping or grinding. You hear it or feel it through the pedal as the car slows.

Don't put off a check for any of the three.

What you hear

A high-pitched, metallic screech while the car is moving usually comes from the brake wear indicators. They make that noise to tell you the brakes are due for maintenance.

What you see

When the brake light on the dashboard stays on with the parking brake released, book a diagnosis. The check engine light is a different warning. What to do when the check engine light comes on covers that one.

What you smell

A smell like burning resin, or a sharp chemical odor, can mean the brakes or the clutch have overheated. Check that the parking brake is fully off, then pull over and stop. After a long run of hard braking on a mountain road, give the brakes time to cool before you go on.

Light smoke coming from one wheel usually means a brake is stuck. Don't keep driving. Have the car towed to a shop.

Before the shop

Write down when each sign happens. Note whether it's only when you brake hard, only when the car is cold, or at every stop, and which corner of the car it seems to come from. For choosing where to take the car, see Finding a mechanic before you need one. When the estimate comes, see How to read a car repair estimate before you say yes.

An annotated example

What to do next

Keep the notes in the car and add to them when a sign comes back. If the brake light stays on, book a check this week, and bring the notes with you.