Brake pads — Jaecoo 7

Brake pads are a wear item — they wear down gradually and need replacing once the friction material drops below a minimum thickness (usually around 2–3 mm), regardless of the car's make.

How to spot worn pads

• Squealing or grinding when braking — the metal wear indicator touching the disc
• Longer stopping distance or a "soft" brake pedal
• Vibration in the brake pedal while braking
• The car pulling to one side — often uneven wear between sides

A metallic grinding sound on every stop means the friction material is already gone and the metal backing plate is rubbing against the disc — continuing to drive like this accelerates disc wear too, raising the repair cost.

When to check

On a Jaecoo 7, as with most cars in this class, it's worth glancing at pad thickness at every oil change — a visual check through the wheel spokes takes a minute and avoids being caught out by a grinding noise on the road.