Brake noise question

[scowlsandgrowls]

I've noticed in the past 2-3 weeks that if I am driving a low speeds and coming to a halt I hear a sort of wooshing sound as I depress the brake and slow down and come to a halt eg taking the car out of the garage and stopping it in the drive. I don't hear the sound when driving at normal speeds and the brakes are braking the car normally. I seem to recall I had something similar years ago when i first had the car but then it stopped.

My driving style is generally to anticipate the traffic ahead so i don't do much heavy braking. The car was recently serviced/MOT (Feb 13, circa 600 miles ago - I don't do much driving as I commute by bus) and there has never been any mention of any brake problems in any service since I had the car from new in 2006 (32k miles).

Any ideas as to what causing the sound and is it something to take it to the garage to be looked at or is the sound normal?

Thanks

[gregoir]

From many years of experience a sudden noise from the brakes means either the pads are worn out and you should get them replaced ASAP or you have a stone caught somewhere. If the later then cautious braking in reverse may shift that.

[scowlsandgrowls]

I don't think its the pads as if they were worn a warning light would come on to indicate this. From trawling the internet it may be something to do with the brake booster which assists downward pressure on the pedal.