If you want to know just how important the brakes on your car really are, then you only need to ask yourself how important the lives of your family and your own self really are.

Faulty brakes are the cause of many accidents, especially in winter. Slick, icy roads and unreliable brakes do not make for a secure feeling, or safe driving.

How do I know if my brakes are bad?

There are quite a few ways to tell if there is something wrong with your brakes, aside from the actual brake light going on in your dash panel. The following list are pretty sure signs that you may want to have your brakes looked at.

-> The vehicle pulls to one side when the brakes are applied.
• This could mean that the brakes are out of alignment, and need to be adjusted.

-> When you apply the brakes, the pedal sinks with a mushy or spongy feeling.
• The likely cause for this is either, too much air in the brake line, or too little brake fluid.

-> You hear a squeaky noise when you implement the brakes.
• Any noise when using your brakes is frightening, and squeaking is probably because the brakes are dirty, or wearing out.

-> The squeak has been replaced by a grinding noise.
• This sound more than likely means that your brake pads have completely worn through and what you hear is metal rubbing against metal.

-> It is hard to depress the brake pedal.
• If your car is equipped with power brakes, a hard to push brake pedal means that there is a leak in the vacuum assist unit. With regular brakes, it could mean that the brake line is pinched, or cracked.

-> When you press down on the brake pedal, you feel a pulsing, or a vibrating.
• This is a likely sign that your brake rotor and pads have become worn or damaged.

Ok, I have seen the signs, what do I do now?

Any one of these signs could mean that you are in potential danger. Even if the brakes are still working just fine, regardless of the seemingly minor annoyance of a noise, or the apparently trivial inconvenience of having to start every stop a little sooner, the next time you try to stop could be the one where the brakes fail entirely. The surest sign that it is past time to have a service technician or mechanic take a look at your brakes, is this one.

-> The brake pedal hits the floor, but the car has not stopped.
• Too late, your brakes are done, just gone. Good luck.

Before this occurs, you need to have those brakes serviced. If you feel comfortable in your own automotive knowledge, then fixing some of these problems is actually relatively easy. Replacing the brake fluid or the brake pads is pretty easy. But other issues such as hydraulic leaks or airline damage are something that only experienced persons should attempt. Luckily, these types of repairs are not that expensive, and also do not take very long to accomplish.

http://www.juble.com/articles/a292-ensure-the-safety-of-your-brakes-with-proper-maintenance.-.html