Important Tips of Bob Ciasulli to Urban Drivers: Get those Brakes Checked!

Bob Ciasulli demonstrates how to keep your brakes in good shape—so they can do their job when you need them most. Brake maintenance, brake safety, and brake repair.

Myself Bob Ciasulli and I am the owner of numerous car dealerships in northern New Jersey. Today I decided to discuss brakes, brake maintenance, and brake safety. Brakes play crucial part the performance and safety of your vehicle. The following article will inform you of what you need to know about your brakes and how you can avoid needing new ones before your manufacturer warranty expires.

Front brakes are always the first to go, and here’s why. A circular rotor (also referred to as “the disk”) rotates your wheels, propelling your car forward. When you hit the brakes, the brake pads attached to the caliper clamps down to bring the disk and wheels to a stop. When slowing to a stop, the two front brakes handle the majority of your car’s weight. This continual shift in car weight results in front brake wear and tear, often resulting in a necessary replacement well before the back two brakes need maintenance.

You can do something to affect the daily wear and tear on your brakes. It’s absolutely true—driving habits play an important role in the brake degeneration. If you’ve read my previous articles, you’ll know how I feel about tailgating. Constant hard braking will lead to an early brake job. If you’re an overly aggressive driver, you’ll obviously be putting more strain and wear on your brakes. Urban drivers, get those brakes checked regularly! Stop and go traffic and short bursts of speed followed by heavy braking will wear those brakes out.

Here are a few tips that’ll help you increase the life of your brakes:

• When possible, avoid stop and go traffic. This is a HUGE factor in premature brake wear and tear.


• Aggressive drivers—slow down! Don’t tailgate or ride the brake pedal during driving.


• Coast. When you see a red light, there’s no need to accelerate and then quickly stop behind the line of waiting cars. Gently coast to a stop. The same is true at stop signs!


• When you’re not braking, keep your foot off of the brake.

How do I know my brakes are going bad? Here are the warning signs:

• When braking to a stop, do you notice a “squealing” or “squeaking” noise? This is an indication that your brake pads have worn thin and need to be replaced.


• Do you need to apply a lot of force when braking? Or conversely, does your brake pedal feel “soft”? A soft brake indicates a possible fluid leak. Don’t ignore either signs and get your brakes checked immediately.


• Dashboard lights—this is your car’s way of letting you know what’s wrong. Don’t ignore it.

If you put those tips to use, you’ll keep your brakes lasting as long as possible. Brake jobs are usually pretty expensive because they’re one of the most labor intensive maintenance services a car needs. Ease up on that brake pedal, keep those brakes in good shape and save yourself a costly repair.

Bio: Bob Ciasulli is the owner of numerous car dealerships in northern New Jersey and Bob Ciasulli is very interested in automotive maintenance and safe driving habits. Bob Ciasulli encourages you to drive safely and protect yourself and your fellow drivers. Bob would also like to remind you to change your oil, rotate those tires every 7,500 miles, and get your brakes checked regularly!