Trouble-Shooting before Brake Repair

Having knowledge of how your vehicle works will be helpful to you should any problems arise. Being able to trouble-shoot when you think you may have a problem with your brakes could save you time and money on brake repair. There are a few ways that you can trouble-shoot when you notice something strange with your brakes. Your issue could be that you have air in your brake line or you are in need of a new master cylinder, it could be your power booster, or it could also be low brake fluid.

In order to trouble-shoot your vehicle to see if there is air in your line, you will want to press on the pedal while you are at a stand-still. If it feels soft when you press on it, then it could be that you do have air in the line. If you press on the pedal and it goes to the floor slowly, then it could be that you are in need of replacing or repairing the master cylinder.

If you want to find out if there may be a problem with the power booster then you will want to drive around some in an area close to home and press on your brakes off and on. It will make a difference as to how your brakes will react with whether you have power brakes or not. With power brakes the pedal will go much closer to the floor than if you do not. If it is difficult to get your car to stop and you do have power brakes in it, then this could be a sign that the power booster needs to be changed.

In order to find out if you need more fluid or if you need a change made to your brakes then you will want to try pumping them. If the pedal stays high when you pump the pedal and it stops this way, then you could need to have your fluid filled or it may be some other issue.

There are a variety of problems that could cause you to need brake repair, but trouble-shooting will most likely help you as you decide what you need to do and where you need to take your vehicle. You will want to make sure to consider these areas carefully.

If you do not already have a mechanic then you will want to find one quickly and call telling them about the results of your trouble-shooting. They may be able to help you to know over the phone the possible cost at their specific shop. You can then do some price comparisons as well as diagnostic comparisons as you call a few different car shops. You should also ask whether they believe your vehicle will be safe to drive. If it is a problem with your master cylinder or another serious problem, then it might not be. You may need to have your vehicle towed to the location that will do your brake repair. If you do end up needing this, be sure to ask the mechanic if they offer a free towing service to customers.