Your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s brake pedal will fill squishy underneath your foot if there is air in the brake lines. This can also be a sign that the master cylinder has gone bad and needs to be replaced. The latter is more common in older vehicles that have a ton of miles on them. A squishy brake pedal is just one problem that will happen if your brakes need to be serviced. Here are other problems.
ABS/Brake Light
The engine control unit in your vehicle will tell you that the brake system is malfunctioning by turning on the ABS or Brake light. This light will remain on until you have the brake system repaired. To play it safe, we recommend that you have your automobile towed to our shop if you have a brake system warning light illuminated on the dashboard.
Braking Noises
The brake system may also start to make noises when you apply the brakes. Specifically, low brake pad surfaces will make the brakes grind or squeal. They may also scrape. In addition, the brake system will also squeal if the pads and rotors are glazed. We will talk more about this below.
Shaking/Vibration
Your automobile can also start to shake or vibrate every time you apply the brakes if it is time to have the rotors replaced or recut. In addition, your vehicle could shake or vibrate if there is road debris stuck in one or more of the calipers.
Leaking Fluid
The brake system generally leaks brake fluid from two places: the lines and the master cylinder. If you see spots of brown or red fluid behind your wheels or underneath the engine, it’s possible that you’ve got a brake fluid leak that can make stopping your vehicle nearly impossible.
Pulling to the Side
If your automobile is pulling to the side when you are driving, your wheels need to be realigned. If your vehicle pulls to the side when you apply the brakes, the calipers are stuck and they need to be replaced.
Overheated Brakes
Finally, we mentioned above that the brake system will squeal if the pads and rotors are glazed. What this means is that they are too hot and their surfaces are smooth. In addition to squealing sounds, overheating brakes will also smell hot and make it difficult to stop your car.
Call us today to schedule a service visit for your automobile if you are having problems with the brake system.