Brake Repair: What Is Keeping You From Stopping?

There are several reasons that your brakes may not be performing well, and it is surely in your best interest to have them checked out by someone skilled in brake repair if have any suspicions concerning their working condition. In addition to some tell-tale noises that certainly need to be checked out, crystallized pads or shoes, grease soaked parts of the systems, loss of power assist, and hot spots are common things that cause poor performance, and can all be tackled by proper brake repair.

Some common squeaks and squeals are normal for an operating vehicle, and if you are driving at a steep grade, in inclement weather, or your ABS has initiated, you are probably perfectly safe. If you are in regular driving conditions and there is any sound that is instigated by putting pressure on the pedal, releasing pressure, or affiliated with the stopping process at all, your safest route is to the car garage to see an expert in brake repair. This system is arguably the most important in your car, and it does no good for your car to go if it cannot stop on command when driving in any place with other living creatures, people or obstacles.

A condition that might occur in your car is one called crystallized pads or shoes. This is when the brakes become hardened and can no longer effectively grab and stop the rotor or drum. Frequent panic stops and riding the pedal are the main causes of this condition which should be fixed immediately as well as that annoying habit of yours.

If for any reason the system gets exposed to oil or grease, it can cause ineffective stopping as well. Oil from a bad rubber boot on a front end component can find its way onto the parts of the system resulting in poor performance. Loss of engine vacuum can cause loss of power assist from the power booster and lend to lack of performance also.

Another issue that may be causing a less than desired stopping action is what is describes as “hot spots” on the drums or rotors. These hardened spots form due to overheating of the brakes which eventually causes places to which the pads and shoes can no longer grip. If this happens and persists, your car could be in for a terrible future.

If these or any other suspicions exist surrounding your car's inability to stop well, have it checked out and/or repaired immediately. While some of these may not be strict brake repair issues, they should be considered with importance. Some signs that these things may be manifesting are changes in the way the pedal feels when it is applied. A squishy pedal, or one that vibrate upon pressing is trying to convey a message: “fix me!” Grinding sounds, pulling sensations, longer stop times, and persistent high pitched sounds are all indicative of failure. You may feel like you are just too busy to stop life for a repair appointment, but don’t you think being able to stop your car is important to your life as well?