‘I thought it was a feather at first’: Driver questions how she was even able to brake after seeing state of brake pads
‘You got your money’s worth out of them brake pads.’
A driver getting her car repaired questioned how she was ever able to stop her car after seeing the state of the vehicle’s brake pads.
TikTok user Nessie (@nessie.shhhh) showed the condition of her pads in a viral video that received 4.2 million views.
Nessie’s worn brakes
The TikToker’s video begins with her holding up her car’s brake pad, and asking, “How were we braking?”
@nessie.shhhh
“You see how thin this is? These are our brake pads,” Nessie says holding up the car component that is practically disintegrating in her hands.
Nessie then flips the orientation of her camera to reveal the car’s rotor, which show visible damage.
“Look at the rotor,” she says.
Nessie holds the brake pad up to the camera again.
“But the brake. The brake,” she exclaims as the video comes to a close.
Flaking brake pads
The Daily Dot has previously reported on another TikTok user who seemed to face a similar issue. She also wondered how she was able to break after seeing the pads that her father removed from her car.
Car and Driver states that it’s important to replace brake pads before warning signs start to appear. These include squealing or clicking sounds, if the car takes longer to brake than usual, if the nose of the car pulls to a side, and if the brake pedal vibrates when pressed. The automotive outlet urges drivers to check their vehicle’s manual for mileage suggestions as to when they should have their the car part swapped out.
According to Brake & Front End, flaking brake pads can be attributed to “delamination of friction lining material.” If a brake’s friction lining isn’t properly attached, issues like this could arise. Ultimately, this results in “an immediately degraded performance of the braking system.”
Over time, and with repeated hard braking, this can cause premature wear and tear on pads. Eventually, it can result in a pad akin to the threadbare component Nessie displays in her TikTok video.
TikTokers were shook
The TikToker appeared shocked at just how worn down the brake pads were. Several other TikTokers also expressed their disbelief in the comments section.
“Not me thinking it’s carne seca,” laughed one user.
“I thought it was a feather at first,” wrote another.
“How did y’all not hear the noise?!” someone asked in disbelief.
Nessie confirmed that her car was making strange noises in another comment.
Someone else said, “You got your money’s worth out of them brake pads. Look at it that way.”
One person considered the video a reminder to check their own car’s brake pads.
“This is my sign to change mine already,” they wrote.
The Daily Dot reached out to Nessie via TikTok comment for further information.
