If your Brake light is on and you don’t have the parking brake set, your vehicle’s main computer chip is trying to tell you that there’s a problem with the brake system. The same is true if your ABS light turns on. These lights should only turn on briefly when you first start your automobile. Aside from the dashboard warning, here are other signs that you have brake problems.
Strange Noises
Your brake system will give you an audible indication that it is overdue for service or that it is malfunctioning. For example, if the brakes grind or scrape, you need to have the brake pads replaced. If the brakes squeal, the brake pads may be too low or the brake system may be overheating.
Shaking/Vibration
You can also tell a lot depending on how your vehicle feels when you apply the brakes. If your automobile shakes or vibrates, you may have a problem with the rotor surfaces. They may need to be recut. Your automobile may also shake if there is a small piece of road debris stuck in one of the calipers.
Leaking Brake Fluid
Unfortunately, if your brake system is overdue for service, it may start to leak brake fluid on the garage floor. In most cases, brake fluid is brown. It can also be red. If the brake fluid is leaking out of the hoses, the spots will be close to the wheels. Brake fluid can also leak out of the master cylinder.
Spongy Brake Pedal
Speaking of the master cylinder, if it is going bad, your brake pedal will feel spongy underneath your foot. If the pedal gives and takes, you probably have air bubbles in the brake lines. We will bleed the lines to get rid of the air bubbles and restore your brake pedal’s resistance.
Pulling to the Side
Let’s talk more about the calipers. If your automobile pulls to the right or left when you apply the brakes, the caliper on that wheel is stuck. To prevent this from happening, plan to have the calipers changed every 60,000 miles or when they need it.
Overheating Brakes
Finally, as we mentioned previously, the brakes will squeal if they are overheating. In addition to the annoying sound, you will smell the heat coming from the brakes. Specifically, the odors can remind you of burning chemicals. They can also remind you of burning carpets.
To prevent brake problems from occurring in the first place, plan to have your brakes inspected at our shop every 12,000 miles. This gives us the opportunity to make sure you can always rely on your brakes.
