Alignments and Brakes: Are They Related?

When it comes to car issues, few things are more serious than problems with your brakes. After all, without a good set of brakes, how are you supposed to slow down and come safely to a stop? Unfortunately, brake problems are quite common across the country. Without proper attention and care, your vehicle’s brakes will wear down a lot easier than you might expect.

Another big issue that we often see with vehicles is their alignment. Cars pull to one side of the road or the other and drivers go about their daily routine as if nothing is wrong. Misalignment leads to greater wear and tear on your tires, and makes turning much more difficult.

The question many people ask is whether or not brake problems have anything to do with their vehicle’s alignment. The simple answer to that question is “no.” That being said, there are signs that you need new brakes and signs that you have alignment issues, and these symptoms can seem quite similar. The following will help clear up some misconceptions about alignment problems and brake work in New Palestine, IN:

• Responsiveness issues: Some cars require more pressure on the brake pedal before they start to slow down. That’s normal. What’s not normal, though, is having to put the pedal all the way to the floor mat in order to slow If you find your foot on the ground each time you stop, you need to have your brakes checked by a professional.
• Pulling: If your brakes are worn on one side of your car, but not on the other, you may notice your vehicle pulling right or left instead of staying straight on the road. Bring your car in for inspection if that’s the case. It may be an issue with your brakes—or it may be an issue with your alignment. Only a professional will know for sure.
• Car slowing down faster than usual: Due to friction, your car won’t continue to go the same speed down the road if you take your foot off the gas. However, you shouldn’t notice an immediate difference in speed the minute you start to coast. If you are slowing down quickly, you’ve probably got an alignment problem, which is creating more friction, and thus slowing you down faster. Bring your car in as soon as you can so we can address this problem!
• Pulling: Just like with your braking issue, your vehicle may pull to one side if you have a problem with your alignment. As mentioned above, the only way to tell whether you need your brakes fixed or your alignment adjusted is to have us take a look at your vehicle! We can diagnose and repair the issue right away, so you can get on with your life.

Don’t trust anyone else with your brake work in New Palestine, IN. Auto Air & Heating, Inc. has years of experience with both brake work and vehicle alignment, so you can trust that we’ll get the job done right the first time.

Categorised in: Brakes

This post was written by Writer