How to Help Your Brakes Last Longer

Braking Tips

Your vehicle’s braking system is the key to safe driving in all conditions. To keep it fully functional, you need quality parts. Brake repair can replace parts that eventually wear out so that you can always stop safely. But can you do more than just wait until the brakes wear out? The answer is yes! There are a few things you can do to help your brakes last longer. Here are some ideas from AutoStream Car Care Center in Woodstock, Maryland.

Clean Out Your Car!

For many of us, our cars are our second homes, so it’s not surprising that some of our belongings pile up in them. Water bottles, clothes, sports equipment — it all adds up and can increase your vehicle’s load. To help the brakes last as long as possible, ideally you want to carry the least weight possible. This lightens the load and strain that’s placed on the brakes when they stop the weight of your vehicle, and everything in it. Take a moment today to remove your golf clubs, donation piles, and anything else that you don’t need in your vehicle!

Practice Better Habits

Along with keeping a clean car, there are other habits you can implement to help your brakes last longer, and they have to do with how you drive. Are you a defensive or aggressive driver? Someone who hits the gas hard off the line, waits to merge until the last minute, and comes to a stop quickly can be described as aggressive. Driving this way is hard on your vehicle’s brakes! The faster you go and the less time you give yourself to stop demands more on your braking system. The best way to stop is gradually, not at the last minute. If you drive a manual, we recommend downshifting to let the transmission do some work instead of leaving it all to the brakes.

Drive With One Foot

Have you ever seen a car on the road with the brake lights on while they were accelerating? It’s likely that that person was driving with two feet and unknowingly rested one foot on the brake pedal while driving down the road. This is a very bad habit that’s horrible for your car’s brakes. Not only are you using them when you don’t need to, but you are stopping both the braking system and engine from performing as they should. It’s like they are battling at all times. If you are someone who drives with both feet, consider making the switch to a better driving style.

With this information in mind, you can improve the way you drive to help your vehicle’s brakes last longer. As always, if you need help with brake repairs, call AutoStream Car Care Center in Woodstock, Maryland!