Brake Repair: Common Services Performed

When you take your car in for brake repair, a good technician will carefully explain what is going to be done to your vehicle before starting the job. Finding someone who will take the time to ensure that you understand what needs to happen to your car helps you feel that you can trust the mechanic. You can make the technician’s job a little easier by understanding these common types of repairs for braking systems.

Flushing the Fluid

Your brakes have fluid that helps them run properly. This fluid should be fairly clear, sometimes with a yellow tint, but not dark. If your brakes have dark fluid, they will not function properly. Flushing and replacing this fluid is a common job done in shops, and it does not usually cost much.

Master Cylinder Replacement

The master cylinder on your brakes may need to be replaced. You will know that something is wrong with the master cylinder if your braking pedal slowly sinks to the floor when you apply steady pressure, but returns to a normal height if you let go and step on it again. Sometimes a failed master cylinder will cause the braking system warning light to light up on your dash.

Brake Pad Replacement

One of the most common types of brake repair is replacing the pads on the brakes. These wear out over time under normal driving circumstances. Replacing them when needed saves you money in the long run, because it prevents future problems with your brakes. Under normal driving conditions, you will need to replace your pads approximately every 40,000 to 50,000 miles.

Caliper Replacement

Caliper replacement is one of the most expensive brake repair situations you might face. The caliper is responsible for pinching the pads onto the disc and stopping the car. Sometimes calipers lock up, which can cause the pads to completely wear down and damage the rotors. Other times the calipers start to leak hydraulic fluid, which leads to failure of the brakes. These parts are very expensive, and also time consuming to replace, so this is a costly job.

Replacing the Rotors

When you stop your vehicle, the pads come in contact with the disc rotors to make the car stop. Like the pads, rotors wear out over time, but instead of wearing down, they form ridges that can impact the performance of the brakes. Usually, brake repair involving the rotors also requires replacement of the pads. Sometimes the rotors can be resurfaced to remove the grooves, but this does make them thinner and more prone to warping.

Line Replacement

Your brakes have fluid that must travel from the master cylinder to the wheels in order to stop your car. The tubes and hoses that carry this fluid sometimes start to leak. When this occurs, the entire braking line must be replaced. This brake repair does not have expensive parts, but it does take a lot of the mechanic’s time, which can make it a little more expensive than you might think.