Winter is hard on brakes - road salt, moisture, and cold all take a toll. Spring is the ideal time to check the brakes and undo any winter damage before the driving season. Here is a spring brake inspection guide.
Check for salt corrosion
Road salt accelerates rust on rotors, lines, and hardware over winter; see winter brake care. Look for heavy surface rust on the rotors, corroded brake lines, and rust building up under the pad clips that could make a pad bind.
Look for sticking calipers
Salt and moisture can seize a caliper guide pin over winter, causing drag once you are driving more; see brake heat. A wheel that runs hot, a pull, or a burning smell in early spring points to a caliper that stuck up over the cold months.
Rotor rust and pad condition
Light surface rust from winter cleans off with driving, but heavy pitting means the rotor may need attention. Check pad thickness too - if they wore thin over winter, replace before the summer trip season; see when to replace pads.
Fresh start for spring
Clean the hardware, free any sticky slides, and top off or flush old fluid; see inspection checklist. A spring once-over sets you up for safe warm-weather driving. Fit quality pads and hardware.