Winter tyres are not enough: MSG Equipment recommends checking pads, discs, drums and brake fluid before the cold season.
MSG Equipment stresses that preparing for winter should include a brake check, not just antifreeze and a tyre change – even the newest winter tyres cannot prevent accidents caused by faulty brakes.
Pads, discs, drums and brake fluid work together constantly, and a fault in any one of them reduces the efficiency of the whole system. As pads can reach very high temperatures during braking, quality matters. The article notes that pads typically need replacing roughly every 10,000–15,000 km, depending on driving style and road conditions.
A high-pitched squeal when braking, reduced braking efficiency and the car pulling are listed as signs that call for an immediate inspection.