Not many people give much thought to the car’s braking system and its importance for your safety. If you drive cars then you must know about car brakes, how they work and signs that they need repairs. If you drive European imports then it is best to get the brakes repaired/replaced at car repairs Port Melbourne. Never neglect brakes: they make all the difference between being safe and being involved in an accident.
How brakes work
Brakes are simple. Most cars use hydraulic braking system in which there is a piston in the brake master cylinder that pumps fluid to the brake caliper. The caliper exerts high pressure on the disc through the pads and stops motion. Many European cars use disc brakes as opposed to the older technology drum brakes because of better stopping power. There may be a mix of disc at the front and drums at the rear. Braking systems can be more sophisticated with the inclusion of an ABS to prevent skidding that can happen when brakes are applied suddenly. More sophisticated systems can detect the type of surface and level and apply variable braking force to each wheel’s brake. Brakes operate under tremendous pressure and will develop faults sooner or later. You can recognize them by the symptoms and then take your car to the car repairs Port Melbourne service station.
Typical brake problem symptoms
Brakes may fail all of a sudden but in a majority of the causes you usually have indications that something is wrong and you will need to take your car to the car services Melbourne mechanic.
- Screeching sound is a common indicator that the pads have worn out and that the metal holder is rubbing against the disc. It is time to replace the pad.
- It may happen that when you apply the brakes your car will yaw to one side which indicates that the calipers have developed a malfunction.
- If your car vibrates when you apply brakes it is an indicator that the rotors are damaged or are warped.
- If you have a spongy feel when you press the brake lever it could mean that the hydraulic fluid level has depleted or there is a leak or problem in the hydraulics side. This requires immediate attention. It could also mean that moisture or air has got into the fluid and that it is degraded. Get it replaced and your entire brake system checked.
- If your car’s braking system has a vacuum booster and if there is a problem in the system then it will require more effort to stop the car.
Better care of your brakes
The pads, rotors and fluid eventually require replacement but with proper care you can prolong the time between such replacements by following better braking practices such as:
- Downshift on steep grades. Your engine takes some of the braking burden.
- Adopt better driving practice such as slow down well in advance and apply moderate pressure on the brakes rather than stamping on the brakes all the time.
- Keep your brakes clean with a thorough service once in two months. You can clean the rotor and pads using brake cleaner but a mechanic will also check hydraulic fluid level and condition of hoses.
Take your European car to Europei Motori and keep your brakes in top condition.
