How to avoid costly car repairs.

As any motor engineer knows, preventative maintenance as well as regular oil changes makes a huge difference to your over-all running costs.
One of the most important service items are your brakes. Delaying brake repairs is not only dangerous, it can be expensive too.

For example, if you replace your disc pads when they get below 25% of their limit, this will reduce disc rotor replacement and ensure that your wheel cylinders are not over extended risking hydraulic failure. Having plenty of material on the brake pads ensures emergency braking is not impaired as well. Most modern cars have a brake pad wear warning light that is a part of the brake warning system.

There are many reasons why the brake warning light comes on, but none of them should be ignored.

1. Master cylinder failure. This is urgent, as your brakes could fail completely without further warning and must be attended to immediately.

2. Brake line failure. Again this will make your brakes fail completely at least on the affected wheel, and without a safety shut off valve all wheels will lose braking when the brakes are applied a second time.

3. ABS failure. Your car will not stop well, and the rest of the system may fail at any time.

4.Excessive brake pad wear. This is not urgent at the time that the warning light first comes on, and it will be useable for many miles, but it is time for a visual inspection of the brake pads. You can do this yourself as I explain in my hub. Auto brake repair.

5.Wheel cylinder failure. This means the brake on the side with the failed wheel cylinder will have no brakes and your master cylinder reserve tank is being drained out on to the road and possibly your tire as well. This could damage the master cylinder piston seal leading to further expense.
Dangerous and needs immediate attention.