Brake Pads

Restore your ride’s stopping power with new brake pads from AutoZone. We carry genuine OE parts, better than OE parts from Brembo and Duralast. Buy online for free shipping with next day delivery or pick up your parts today at an AutoZone near you.

What Are Brake Pads?

Brake pads are attached to your wheel, with each one on either side of the wheel. When you press the brake in your car, the brake pads are pushed toward the wheel to apply friction to stop the car.

When the brake pads push against the wheel to get it to stop, the friction will rub the pads and cause them to wear down. It won't be immediate, but the brakes will eventually need to be replaced once their efficiency drops and they become thinner. In short, brake pads allow you to stop your car and they need to be replaced after a while.

Why Change Your Brake Pads?

If your car won’t stop as fast as it used to, or if it’s been driven ~40,000 miles since your last brake job, it’s likely time to change your pads. Stop confidently with new brake pads from AutoZone. We carry a variety of pads that meet or exceed OE performance. Learn about the different types with our brake pad buyer's guide. Boost your vehicle’s stopping power while saving on your brake pad replacement cost with free next day shipping or pick them up in an AutoZone near you today.

How Often Should Brake Pads Be Replaced?

Changing brake pads is a crucial part of routine maintenance for your vehicle. If they aren't properly maintained, they can't bring your car to a stop with the friction generated by the pads coming into contact with the rotors. This friction also wears on the surface of your pads, reducing the thickness of the friction material which touches the rotors when the pedals are pressed. Worn brake pads struggle to stop your car, and they can even damage your rotors. Put a stop to damage down the road with new brake pads from AutoZone. If you're not sure how, check out this guide to changing brake pads and rotors.

Signs of Bad Brake Pads

Signs of bad brake pads include squealing, pulsing in the brake pedal, and a dash warning light. Any of these symptoms should be addressed immediately with an inspection of your vehicle’s brake system to ensure that you can stop safely. If you’re inspecting brake pads, look for a smooth, level friction surface. A friction surface that is not level will not make consistent contact with the rotor, costing you stopping power.

How to Check Your Brake Pads

It's important to replace your brake pads as needed, but you also shouldn't replace them too soon or you will end up wasting money. This means you'll need to know how to check your brake pads to see if they need to be replaced. You can check by listening and paying attention to the brake or by looking at the brake pads.

First, you need to listen to your brakes to see if they're starting to go bad. If they start to squeak when you use the brake, it might be time to check them out. Many pads include wear indicators which touch the rotors and create a sound when the pad material is too thin. That said, some brake pads can be a bit squeaky normally, like high performance brake pads on car that's being driven slowly, so do some research on your specific equipment to learn service intervals and signs to look out for. You should also pay attention and see if you need to step on your brake harder to get your car to stop, or it seems like stopping is taking longer.

You can also check your brake pads by taking the wheels off of your car. Keep in mind that you will have front and rear brake pads on your car. Remove the wheels and look at the pads. If they look thin, then you will need to replace them. Make sure that you check all of your wheels to be on the safe side.

Types of Brake Pads that AutoZone Carries

We carry all kinds of carbon fiber, ceramic brake pads, and more. We are a one stop shop where you can get pads and brake grease, or anything else for your next brake job. Whether you need affordable brake pads with standard performance, Duralast Gold brake pads with a limited lifetime warranty, or Duralast Elite pads for longer lasting safe stops, or anything in-between, AutoZone has what it takes to do the job right.

Brake pads are important parts of your car that should be replaced immediately if they start to wear down. If you don't replace them as needed, then you could end up damaging your wheel, which will cost you even more money later on. Luckily, we offer plenty of brake pads at AutoZone to help you find the right ones based on what you need.