Taking care of your car is incredibly important. Just like your body, it is important to make sure that you are familiar with the signs that your car is sick and needs attention. In fact, there are certain problems, like issues with the brakes, which can actually be dangerous. If you don't know what you are looking for, you could miss important information about your car. Here are some signs that your brakes need attention.

1. The Brakes Squeak or Squeal When You Drive

As a general rule, your brakes should be silent as you drive. You might experience some noises when you get new brake pads. This is because the pads are being broken in and they are likely to make a minimal grinding sound when you press on the brakes. However, this should go away after a couple of drives in the car since the pad will be broken in.

If the brakes are making noises such as squealing or squeaking while you brake, or while you are driving, this could be a problem. It could be that the brakes are grinding and are being damaged.

2. The Car Swerves When You Brake

Second, you should be looking for the car swerving when you brake. If both brakes are working properly, that means both sides have equal strength on the brakes and the car should be straight when you press down on the brakes. The problem comes when you notice that the car pulls to one side, not while you are driving (this is an alignment issue), but when you brake. This could mean that one side is failing, perhaps even completely gone, and that you are working with only one good brake. This is very dangerous, and if the working brake were to start to fail you could badly injure you or others inside or outside of the car.

3. The Brakes Don't Respond When You Press Them

Lastly, you should pay close attention to how responsive the brakes are. If it takes a couple presses on the brakes to get them to work, or if you have to slam on the brakes to get them to work for you, you've got a problem. This could mean that the brakes have become weak, and without hardly any notice they could completely give out.

If you notice any of these problems in your car, you need to get maintenance done on your car right away.