When I began thinking more seriously about car issues, it occurred to me that there were a few things I needed to do if I wanted to make things easier for myself in the long run. For starters, I began taking my car in for regular auto service, which really helped out. It was really interesting to see how many different things had to be fixed every time I went in, but when my car didn't have as many problems, I could tell that it was really paying off. This website is all about understanding and preventing car problems by making better choices.
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The purpose of a brake inspection is to ensure that your car's brakes are operating correctly and have a sufficient amount of friction material remaining. While it's critical to understand how much life remains on your brake pads, other problems may be lurking under the surface. Even if you still have thousands of miles before your next brake change, an inspection can be illuminating.
While there are many components and potential failure points in a modern car's braking system, these are three of the most common (and severe) problems that a technician might discover during an inspection.
1. Burnt or Contaminated Brake Fluid
Brake fluid allows your car's braking system to function. This fluid provides the hydraulic force necessary to compress the pistons on your caliper's, ultimately providing the stopping power you expect when you hit the brake pedal. Brake fluid needs to be relatively clean and free of air bubbles to function correctly.
Because of how critical your brake fluid is, technicians will typically check its condition during an inspection. Brake fluid that appears dirty, contaminated, or burnt can reduce your braking performance and may even cause damage to parts of your car's braking system. Uncovering this problem during an inspection is an excellent way to address it before it affects your car's drivability.
2. Damaged Brake Hoses
Your brake hoses carry brake fluid between your calipers and the hard brake lines. Brake hoses must be flexible since they bounce and move with your car's suspension. Unfortunately, this movement can cause the rubber to wear down over time. Contaminated brake fluid can also wear out the internal lining of your brake hoses, causing them to become clogged or even fail.
Technicians will check your brake hoses during an inspection to ensure they're in good condition. You should always replace hoses that look worn or that are beginning to deteriorate. It's ideal to find this problem during an inspection before the hoses start to leak or, in a worst-case scenario, cause a catastrophic braking failure.
3. Sticking Calipers
"Sticking" is a common type of failure for calipers. The piston will typically remain in the extended position when a caliper sticks. This situation allows the brake pad to make continual contact with the rotor, causing the pad to wear down and creating an excessive amount of brake dust. You may also notice your car pulling in one direction, and constant contact will eventually ruin the brake disc.
The sooner you discover a sticking caliper, the better your chance of avoiding more costly repairs. Finding this problem during an inspection may allow you to fix the affected part without needing to replace any additional braking components.
Contact an auto service like Escondido Auto Tech to learn more.
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