Families brave the heat each summer to go on road trips, enjoy barbeques, and play baseball. These activities are great fun but can take up a lot time in the car. The brake system is one the most crucial and often overlooked parts of vehicle safety and maintenance. You can keep your vehicle safer and save money by keeping it in good condition.
A typical brake system for a passenger car includes disc brakes at the front and drum or disc brakes at the rear. The master cylinder’s piston pushes brake fluid through a series o metal lines, rubber tubes, and valves that are located at each of the wheels. The brakes will then engage and stop the vehicle. Brake pads (disc brakes), and brake shoes (drum brakes), will eventually wear down.
Firestone Complete Auto Care recommends that your brake system be inspected and serviced according the vehicle’s owner’s manual or as soon as possible. Here are some warning signs for brake problems:
– The brake warning lights come on and may signal a loss in braking power.
– When you press the brake pedal, there is a metallic grinding sound or a high-pitched squeal.
– The brake pedal can feel mushy when depressed or needs to be applied with extreme pressure.
– The vehicle pulls towards one side while it brakes.
– Brakes vibrate and pulsate when they are applied.
You should contact an ASE Certified technician if you notice any of these signs. These symptoms could be indicative of brake system problems such as worn brake pads or shoes or leaking brake fluid, warped brakes rotors, and air in the brake lines.
Make sure you take the time to check your vehicle before you hit the roads this summer.
Trisha Hessinger, a former racecar driver, is an automotive education specialist nationally for Firestone Complete Auto Care.
