How long should you wait to replace brake pads or other parts of the brake system?
You would have to take it in to a car repair shop. i wouldn't wait to long after they start making noise, especially if you do not have screamers on them(I think that is what they call them, they make noise when the brakes are starting to go.otherwise you would get to the grinding noise which is bad.) I would personally get them looked at right away.
Your car will be making a squeaking sound.if the squeaking sound just started then most likely you only need new brake pads. If you wait to long you cause more damage to your car resulting in needing more parts. Take your car to the dealer or to a jiffy lube to get checked.
On most modern cars, there is a brake pad wear indicator that lights up on your dashboard. However you can do a visual inspection looking at the brake pads within their calipers; either through your rims if the gaps between the spokes are big enough, or you will have to remove the wheel and check the pads. If your pad is less than 4 millimeters thick, it’s time you think of getting new pads. As for your brake disks, if you feel the surface of the brake disk, you will see that an outer edge is growing cause the disk is wearing out. If this edge grows to about a millimeter thick, then you’ll have to change the disk. Drum brakes are the hardest to detect when they are worn out. The drum has to be disassembled to check the wear of both the drum and the pads. But drum disks, which are usually located on the rear wheels, wear off in less time than the front disk brakes. Wear and tear of brakes is dependant upon several variables, such as car weight, car average speed when brakes are used, how often you use your brakes, types of pads and friction surfaces of disks and drums, and the age for the mentioned frication surfaces.
