Servicing & Brakes

Brakes are the most heavily used safety system on your vehicle. At Pneu Station, we recommend checking the thickness of your brake pads every 30,000 km, or as soon as you hear grinding or notice reduced braking efficiency. When the pad thickness falls below 2 mm, replacement is essential: beyond this threshold, metal rubs directly against the disc, damaging it and multiplying repair costs. Our technicians carry out a visual inspection of the brake pads at every workshop visit, at no extra charge.

Brake discs also wear over time: grooves, scoring, warping or minimum thickness reached are all warning signs. A disc that is too thin or warped causes vibrations when braking and increases stopping distance — a real hazard in urban driving on the roads of Roubaix, Tourcoing or Lille. We always replace discs in pairs (front or rear axle) to ensure perfect braking symmetry.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic: it absorbs moisture from the air over time, which lowers its boiling point. Degraded fluid can create vapour bubbles in the hydraulic circuit under heavy use — the so-called "fading" effect, which results in a soft brake pedal and a sudden loss of braking power. Manufacturer guidelines recommend replacement every 2 to 4 years depending on use, and after any work on the braking circuit.

Beyond the braking system, Pneu Station offers a complete tyre maintenance service: tyre pressure checks (recommended monthly and before every long journey), inspection of wear condition (tread depth, uneven wear indicating poor alignment), tyre rotation to even out wear between front and rear axles, and balancing to eliminate steering wheel vibrations. These simple operations extend tyre life and reduce fuel consumption.

Certain moments are particularly critical for your vehicle's maintenance: the change of season (summer/winter), before a holiday or long journey, and after a hard knock against a kerb or pothole — common on the degraded roads of the Nord. After a repaired puncture, it is always advisable to check the geometry and pressure of all tyres. With 10 years of experience in Roubaix and Béthune-Verquin, our teams are trained to diagnose quickly and intervene effectively — for your safety and peace of mind.