One
part of your car that you need to work correctly at all times are the
brakes. You need to know the warning signs to look out for to fix
brake problems early on when they are easy to repair and before they
become a safety hazard. Get familiar with the following warning signs
so you can visit a mechanic immediately.
Odor
If
you notice a burning sort of smell in your car, it could be the
brakes. Pay attention to when the odor happens to get a better idea
of the cause. If you notice it when you press the brakes, the smell
could be from a seized caliper piston putting increased friction on
the wheel.
The
combination of heat and boiling brake fluid behind the smell will
eventually cause brake problems. A seized caliper piston is easy to
repair if caught early enough. If ignored, you could have your brakes
fail unexpectedly.
Vehicle
Pulling
Have
you noticed that your vehicle is pulling to one side of the road? Bad
calipers may be causing this problem to happen as well. The vehicle
may pull to one side from one caliper applying more pressure to the
brakes than the other. The car will then pull to the size of the road
that has a caliper problem.
A
collapsed brake hose can also be the reason for vehicle pulling, but
this is more likely to happen just when braking. This is due to the
brakes not being able to apply even pressure, which causes one wheel
to slow down faster than the other.
Pedal
Problems
Be
aware of changes to your brake pedal, especially when it comes to how
far the brake pedal moves when applying pressure. The pedal may go
much farther than usual and touch the floor. This problem can
actually have several causes, making it harder for the typical
vehicle owner to identify. Common issues involve cracked brake lines
that are leaking fluid, a lack of brake fluid, and thin brake pads.
A
vibrating brake pedal is a different problem and could be caused by a
warped router. Even a few millimeters in unevenness can cause that
vibration to travel to the brake pedal.
Grinding
Grinding
is another problem that can have several potential causes. Grinding
occurs when you have metal that touches other pieces of metal, which
is why brake grinding is commonly associated with the rear drum
brakes lacking lubrication. Another problem is that the brake pads
have worn through in places, causing metal to rub when the driver
applies the brakes.
Gravel
being stuck in the calipers is possible, which is an easy fix. It is
worth taking a look under the car if you recently went down a gravel
road and now hear grinding. Removing the stuck gravel will fix the
problem.
Brake
Light Indicator
A
brake light indicator on your dashboard will be the most obvious sign
of a problem. Unfortunately, the brake light could be warning you
about several potential problems.
Low
brake fluid is a common problem that is easy to check on your own.
The light could also be indicating that the parking brake is still
on. Anti-lock braking system also use this light to tell you that
something requires service.
Fluid
Puddles
Have
you noticed a mystery fluid underneath where you park your car? This
may be a brake fluid leak. Brake fluid will be clear or brown in
color, and feel slick when you touch it. Coolant is green, power
steering and transmission fluid is red or light brown, and engine oil
is light brown or black.
Visit Euroclassics,
LTD, if
you feel that your vehicle's brakes need to be serviced.
