Brake pads are manufactured to be able to withstand immense pressure. That is why it is uncommon for them to fall off completely. However, that can happen.

A brake pad can fall out if the vehicle’s braking system has not been installed correctly, if one of the components of the system has worn down, or if the brake calipers or the actual brake pads have been affected by corrosion and rust.

Below you will find out whether it’s possible to drive with a missing brake pad and how you can prevent the element from falling out.

What Causes a Brake Pad to Fall Out?

• The brakes have not been installed properly

When you apply the brakes, the pad is pushed against the rotor, and that is what slows the vehicle down or stops it. Calipers are the elements that hold the brake pads in place; they also have pistons that extend and push the pad against the rotor.

If the manufacturer didn’t get these things installed correctly, then one of the components might fall out.

• The components have corroded or have worn down

Rust tends to weaken the affected areas. If that happens to the calipers that are holding the pad, then the latter might simply fall out.

• You are used to slamming on the brakes

Slamming on the brakes will cause damage to the braking system. In such a case, the brake pads can overheat and this will, eventually, cause them to deteriorate sooner.

Can I Drive with a Brake Pad Missing?

You shouldn’t drive your car if the brake pad is missing. You will be putting yourself and everyone else on the road at risk as you have lost about half of your braking power (the majority of cars have split braking systems nowadays).

By the way, driving without a brake pad is not only dangerous but also extremely bad for your car. The piston might get ruined or ejected completely which is going to lead to the loss of brake pressure across all brakes. Moreover, the brake fluid will, most likely, be released onto the road. Finally, without a brake pad, your rotors can get destroyed.

When a brake pad falls off, the pedal goes to the floor. If you have noticed that, you should stop immediately and get the brakes fixed.

What Happens When Brake Pads Fall Out?

It goes without saying that without a brake pad, you wouldn’t be able to stop the vehicle when you need ещ. But there are a few other ‘side-effects’ of a fallen-out pad that might not be as obvious:

• If the rotor gets exposed to the material behind the brake pad, it will get damaged. The surface of the element should be flat and uniform, otherwise, the rotor would have to be replaced (if the issue is not taken care of, it will get even worse with time due to the vibrations created when braking).
• If the caliper pistons don’t have the brake pad as a buffer, the caliper might overextend and get stuck or simply break.
• Damaged calipers and rotors can create a suspension system misalignment which, in its turn, will also lead to uneven tire wear.

How Do I Know If My Brake Pad Is About to Fall Out?

1. Inspect the brake pad – if the pad’s thickness is less than ¼ of an inch, you have to change it. Some pads can have a cut in them that acts as an indicator of wear. Your vehicle might also have an electronic indicator that is going to warn you about a thin brake pad.
2. Pay attention to the sound – some pads come with a wear indicator that is going to scratch the rotor when the time comes to change the component. This scratching will create a high-pitched squeak.
3. Take note of what your pedal feels like when you slow down and stop – the car should not sway to one side; the movement of the pedal should not feel softer than before; you shouldn’t have to push the pedal a considerable distance to make the car start to slow down; you should not feel vibration when trying to stop.

Why Are My Brake Pads Going Out So Fast?

The actual brake pads might be to blame, if you have recently switched to a cheaper option – such pads usually don’t have enough cushioning quality.

The pad will also go out fast in case the calipers are not working properly. If a caliper sticks, for example, it will end up leaving the brake pad on the surface of the rotor for longer than necessary.

At times, the only reason why your brake pads started wearing out faster is because there is now another person driving your car and his or her driving style (as well as the impact on the braking system) is completely different from yours.

How to Prevent Your Brake Pad from Falling Out

• Don’t stress your brakes, if it’s not necessary – you can usually avoid that by keeping the recommended distance between your car and the vehicle in front of you.
• If you need to stop, ideally, you would want to start braking in advance.
• Don’t overload the car – the more weight the brakes would have to slow down, the more wear they are going to experience.
• Use engine braking whenever you can.
• Replace the brake pads as they wear out – that is when the thickness of the pad gets to ¼ of an inch or less or every 30,000-50,000 miles.
• Have the components of your braking system checked at least once a year and inspect the components yourself on a regular basis.
• Have your mechanic flush the brake lines and change the fluids once every 2 years or so.

Conclusion

Even though that doesn’t happen frequently, there are quite a few things that can make your brake pad fall out.

In a word, if there is something wrong with one of the elements of the braking system, the pad might go missing. To avoid that, thoroughly inspect the system on a regular basis.