When To Replace The Brake Pads On Your Honda CR-V

Most of us are not auto mechanics. We use our cars everyday to drive from point A to point Z, and every place in-between, but all in all, we really don’t know that much about how our cars work, or why they sometimes don’t. We do our part to keep them clean, gassed up and maintained, but when it comes to diagnosing a problem more complex than low gas or engine oil, we make no bones about calling in a mechanic for expert assistance. If our car actually stops running or starts smoking, we generally call in the professional Big Boys right away, but for those weird little noises that come and go, we usually call a friend. You know the one- the guy who’s worked on cars for fun since he was a teen, the one who can perform mysterious Sherlock Holmes styles feats of engine diagnosis by simply opening the hood and smelling the engine components. It almost seems like some kind of prankish trick, except that he’s generally right. The truth is that he, and other experienced auto mechanics, aren’t the modern version of London’s greatest detective. They’ve just learned to listen to the various cues that your Honda CR-V is designed to give you—something you can do yourself. Once you learn to listen, you’ll realize that your car is pretty good at communicating its needs. One of the most obvious and easy to interpret cues your car will give can tell you that it’s time to replace the brake pads on your Honda CR-V.

What’s That Squealing Noise?

When it’s time to replace those brake pads, you’ll know it- you’ll start hearing a high pitched squealing and/or grinding noise whenever you apply pressure to the brake pedal. This irritating warning noise is actually engineered into design of your Honda’s brake pads. Brake pads are what are known in the industry as a wear part, or a part that is designed to wear out and be replaced periodically. Made from a strong semi-metallic material, your Honda cr-v brake pads actually take the brunt of the friction caused during braking, gradually wearing away over time. When the brake pad material reaches a thickness of 3/32” of less, a metal warning sensor build into your brake pad rubs against the brake rotor, causing the high pitched squeal that alerts car owners to the fact that it’s time to replace those brake pads. Continuing to drive on worn out brake pads is dangerous, as your brakes won’t have the stopping power that they normally have. It can also cause severe damage to your brake rotors, turning a simple and relatively inexpensive brake pad replacement into an expensive full brake replacement.

Replacing Your Brake Pads

Having your brake pads replaced by a professional is a simple in and out process that shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours. Along with the installation of your new Honda CR-V brake pads, you’ll get a full inspection of and routine maintenance on all the brake components. Total cost should be between $100 and $300.