Troubleshooting Your Brakes Made Easy

Your brakes are one of the most important aspects of your car, so it's of the utmost importance that you know your car's brakes inside and out. Fortunately, if they aren't working properly, there are a number of ways you can figure out what's going on and remedy the underlying issue either by yourself or with the help of a service, like Williams Oil Filter Service Co. So if you've recently purchased a car or are simply looking to educate yourself about your car's brake system, keep reading below for some helpful troubleshooting tips.

Grinding Noises

One of the most obvious signs that your brakes need work is when you begin to hear a grinding noise each time you come to a stop. This is usually caused by the brake lining wearing thin, and thus causing the metal part of the brake pad to come into contact with the disc. Ignoring this sound for a prolonged period of time can cause extensive damage, so it's best to visit a mechanic immediately to replace the lining.

Sinking Pedal

One of the worst experiences while driving is the feeling of your brake pedal suddenly sinking to the floor. Whether this happens once or multiple times, it is almost always a sign of a defective master cylinder (or at least the inability of the cylinder to hold the correct pressure). This is not something you want to procrastinate in fixing, and you should take your vehicle to a mechanic as soon as possible -- not doing so can easily result in a serious accident.

Swerving 

Another common problem when braking is having the car pull to one side as soon as you hit the brake. While this might be quite gradual at first, it can quickly become a serious issue. While there isn't a single cause of this problem, more often than not it can be attributed to the brake fluid leaking. To fix this, make sure that your brake fluid levels are normal; if they aren't, simply refill the fluid to the appropriate level.

Pulsating Brakes

When your brakes begin to pulsate, the culprit is usually your brake rotor. In this case, it may need to be replaced or resurfaced. If the rotor is doing fine, however, it may be that you have simply overused the brakes and that the excessive heat is causing them to pulsate. Give the vehicle time to cool down, and your brakes should work properly.


Share