Best Auto Repair, Little Rock

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BRAKES & BRAKE REPAIR

Working Hours
  • Mon 8:00AM - 5:00PM
    Tue 8:00AM - 5:00PM
  • Wed 8:00AM - 5:00PM
    Thu 8:00AM - 5:00PM
  • Fri 8:00AM - 5:00PM
    Sat Closed
  • Sun Closed
    Early drop-off M-F at beginning at 7:30 a.m.

BRAKES & BRAKE REPAIR

A vehicle's brakes are one of its most important safety features, and we want to make sure that West End Garage customers stay safe. Whether your brake pads are signaling they need replacement, your brake light is on, or you're not comfortable with how quickly your vehicle is slowing down, call us at 501-455-4396 or visit us in Little Rock and we'll give you a prompt diagnosis of your braking system's safety and reliability.



Anti-Lock Brake System
The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) ensures your wheels keep rotating during braking, preventing skidding and providing better control. If your ABS light illuminates, visit West End Garage for a diagnosis and professional repair.

Brake Fluid Flushes
Brake fluid can absorb moisture from the air over time, diminishing brake effectiveness and becoming corrosive, potentially harming the system. Regular brake fluid flushes are vital to ensure fresh fluid usage in your vehicle. Consult our technicians at West End Garage to determine the right time for a brake fluid flush.

Brake Hoses
A brake hose carries pressurized brake fluid from the master cylinder to the brakes. A damaged hose can lead to delayed or weak braking, and a leak may result in brake failure. While the need for a replacement brake hose isn't common, any signs of cracking or wear should prompt immediate replacement.

Brake Pad & Shoe Replacement
Squealing brakes often indicate brake pad issues. When brake pads deteriorate completely, a harsh metal-on-metal grinding noise occurs during braking, indicating potential rotor or drum damage. Although experienced individuals may attempt home repairs, if you have brake concerns, it's best to consult an auto repair professional promptly.

Caliper Replacement
The brake caliper houses brake pads and clamps around the rotor to apply pressure during braking. Caliper problems can cause uneven braking, leading to skidding during braking and loss of control in adverse weather conditions. Contact West End Garage in Little Rock at your earliest convenience for assistance.

Resurface Rotors
In a disc brake system, rotors attach to your vehicle's wheels. The friction with brake pads over time creates grooves and cracks. The process of resurfacing restores rotors to a "like-new" condition, reducing noise and wobbling. At West End Garage, we inspect your rotors thoroughly and recommend the best course of action.



FAQs About Brakes

Why is my dashboard brake light on?
If the brake light indicator appears on your dashboard, it's either time for regular brake maintenance or an alert to a potential problem. Stop by West End Garage and let us help you diagnose this issue quickly.

What percent of brake pad life is 3mm?
When you purchase a new brake pad, it has a standard thickness of around 8 to 12 mm or about a half inch. Over time, your car's brake pad will wear away. A brake pad at 3 mm or around one tenth of an inch will take around 40,000 miles of driving to completely wear out. Don't wait until then to replace your brake pads. Once your brake pads reach 3 mm it is recommended that you schedule an appointment to get them replaced soon.

Why are my brakes making a grinding noise?
Grinding noises usually indicate that your car's brake system is overdue for maintenance. The grinding sound is usually caused by the brake pad being completely worn away or the brake shoe scraping on metal contact points.

Why are my brakes squeaking?
Noises coming from your brakes do not usually indicate a high-cost auto repair. It could be a foreign object such as a small stone or road debris. It could also be a signal that your brake-pads are wearing out and need replacing. As brake pads wear bits of metal in your brake pad come in contact with the rotor to create a squeaking noise when you apply the brakes.

Why are my brakes vibrating?
If your car shakes or vibrates or wobbles when you apply the brakes, it indicates that the thickness of your rotor is uneven. Brake rotors are large, perfectly round, smooth metal discs that sit inside of the wheels. When the disc has become misshapen or unevenly worn it will vibrate or wobble when you hit the brakes. Left uneven, the material will continue to build on the uneven spots, making the problem worse over time. Come to West End Garage to get the face of your car's brake rotors resurfaced to fix the problem.

How do I know if my car is leaking brake fluid?
If your car does not stop as quickly as you expect you may be leaking brake fluid. This is a serious problem. An important part of the braking process involves brake fluid, which is used to create hydraulic pressure against the brake caliper. If your vehicle is leaking brake fluid, you won't be able to stop safely. We recommend taking your vehicle to an auto repair shop as quickly as possible if it is leaking brake fluid.

Why are my brakes making a burning smell?
Overheated brakes cause a noticeable burning chemical smell. Pull over to a safe place and allow the brakes to cool. Ensure you did not accidentally leave the parking brake on. If there's any smoke coming from a wheel, it may be that the brake caliper is malfunctioning and locked in place. In this case, it may be unsafe to continue driving.

Why is my car pulling to one side when I am braking?
If your car is pulling to one side when braking it may be a bad brake hose or a caliper issue causing one brake to engage while the other is not. This causes a pull on the side where the brake is working properly.

What are the 3 types of brake pads?
There are three main types of brake pads in use today: non-asbestos organic, ceramic and semi-metallic. Come by West End Garage or consult your car's owner's manual to determine which type is best for your vehicle.

What are the 3 signs that brake pads are worn?
The three most common sounds that indicate you need to replace your brake pads are squeaking, grinding or the dashboard brake indicator light coming on.

What is the 30-30-30 rule for brakes?
Brake specialists advise initiating new brake pads by using a 30-30-30 method: Perform 30 gradual stops from 30 mph, allowing 30 seconds between each stop for the brakes to cool. This process protects against excessive heat buildup until the resins in the pads have completely cured.

To learn more about our Brake services, call us at 501-455-4396 or request a quote by clicking below:


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reviewiconHonest Mechanic
Brakes, near Little Rock, Arkansas
04/19/2019

Great family business. Very professional and thorough as well as excellent customer service!


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What People Say About Us

  • reviewicon
    , 04/23/2024

    Honest, reliable, quick, efficient, and doesn’t try pushing extra things down your throat to get extra money. I would recommend West End Garage to everybody. I dealt with Tim Baker and he answered all of my questions honestly and dumbed it down for me as well because I don’t know much about cars. The front desk lady (never got her name unfortunately) was a sweetheart as well.

  • reviewicon
    , 04/18/2024

    Tim took my old 1993 Mustang that had overheated and blew head gasket. Got it running great and fixed a few other things before he felt comfortable giving it back. Trustworthy and reasonably priced

Little Rock
  • reviewiconEngine Maintenance, near Little Rock, Arkansas
    , 03/22/2024

    Tim took my old 1993 Mustang that had overheated and blew head gasket. Got it running great and fixed a few other things before he felt comfortable giving it back. Trustworthy and reasonably priced.

  • reviewiconEngine Maintenance, near Little Rock, Arkansas
    , 02/01/2024

    On February 1, 2024 my 1999, Lexus 300 GS with 166k, had a catastrophic oil leak coming from the cam seals , crank seal, the VVTi gear O-Ring,. So at 10:30 PM at the Loves truck stop in Malvern, about 40 minutes south of Little Rock, I was stranded. Finally got a tow truck (Eastend Towing) to get me at 3 AM. and take me to the Hampton Inn, back in Little Rock, which was across the street from the Lexus dealership. Long story even longer. The Lexus dealership wanted $5398.64 as well as quoting a battery installation for $266.17? basically $5650! Plus the $117.26 diagnostic charge for the privilege of making me lock up like a fainting goat, and faint on their show room floor then having to wake myself up by wav ring an ammonia capsule under my nose at the sticker shock of that price! Then I remembered my little tow-truck driver, who had mentioned West End garage. So I called the owner Tim Baker and made arrangements for my Lexus to be towed to West End garage. Tim did a thorough diagnostic on it, came up with the exact same problems and quoted them each line for line, including adding these ADDITIONAL items to this extremely deep engine repair: both valve cover gaskets, a new timing belt, a new serpentine belt, a new OEM Denso alternator *(it was not the battery that the Lexus dealer was trying to sell me for $266.17 but rather it needed a new alternator. That alternator installed was $457.19) OK so here's the bottom line, Tim Baker at West End garage's total price for everything including the $457.19 alternator install was only $2252.88!!! So Tim Baker at West End garage and his team save me $3402 as opposed to the dealership, and that did not include the $100 Towing that was in that price!? Or the fact that he completely de-greased the engine! But here's the best part?. I drove there with my wife and special needs 18 year old son to pick the car up so that they could follow me back all the way to Nashville that's a 5 hour drive. on a Friday in the 4 o'clock traffic in the dark! When I cranked it up, everything was perfect! No leaks, no smells, no overheating. The heat gauge held perfectly at normal operating temperature for the entire five hours. We drove back to back through the night 75 miles an hour, and it ran like a sewing machine, purred like a kitten, runs like a scalded dog! In fact, it was running so good that I missed my exit and drove all the way through downtown Nashville! I waited a month before writing this review to be sure that there were no latent leaks. Everything is perfect!!!! I couldn't be happier, and I would HIGHLY recommend this shop to anyone and everyone, including Elon! Also, a big shout out to whoever that tow truck driver was (I can't remember his name for the life of me, but I will NEVER FORGET that big beautiful Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum he had on the dashboard!) if he hadn't of mentioned Tim Baker and the West End Garage who knows where I would be right now. Also, Tim gave me his cell phone number to send pictures back-and-forth while we were working through the car issues. How many shop owners will give you their cell phone number these days? Can't say enough good things about this garage, their service, their price, and their end result product AWSOME! This is the only review I've ever written in my entire life! No one has paid me to write this. So next time, let me encourage you, if you have a car repair, do not take it to any dealership, take it over to Tim Baker at West End Garage Tim Baker will fix you up from headlight to tail pipe!

  • , 01/03/2024

    Needed a battery that was very difficult to install. It was costly, but the service was excellent and timely. I'll use West End again, definitely.

  • , 05/11/2023

    This shop has always been excellent. We have a 2005 Toyota Sequoia and a 2010 Honda Odyssey which are still running great since we get them serviced regularly.

Call us for service: 501-455-4396

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