3 Brake System Components That May Have To Be Replaced During A Brake System Repair
Posted on: 19 January 2016
The brakes in your car will likely need to be serviced at some point. Although some car components have a regular schedule for maintenance, a brake system may need serviced more or less often depending on your driving habits. For instance, if you drive regularly in a busy city with multiple stops, you are likely to need your brakes serviced more often than someone who drives mostly on highways.
Still, regardless of where you generally drive, when you have your brakes serviced, there are several brake system components that may need to be replaced. Here are three of them:
Brake Fluid
Brake fluid transfers the force needed to apply pressure to your brakes and stop your car. You may realize that your brake fluid is below a suitable level when the panel light of your dashboard appears or when your brakes assume a mushy feel. Without sufficient pressure from a proper amount of brake fluid, your brake pedal may suddenly feel mushy, instead of stiff, as you depress it. However, there is also another reason that your brake fluid may need to be replaced.
Brake fluid cannot function properly unless it is a liquid. However, the fluid absorbs atmospheric moisture over time, which contaminates the brake fluid and lowers its boiling point. As a result, the contaminated fluid is not as effective as it was before the introduction of the water. Still, replacing the fluid restores its full functionality.Your brake fluid should replaced at least once every two years.
Brake Pads
Your brake pads must have a certain amount of padding remaining, or they may not function efficiently. Instead of a quick, silent stop, you may experience a slower stop time coupled with a squealing or grinding noise. This noise is due to the metal backing of your brake pads scrubbing against the metal of your rotors. Once your brakes become noisy, new pads are needed.
Rotors
Your rotors may need to be replaced if you have waited too long to replace your pads. The metal of your brake pads can cause deep scratches and grooves in your rotor. If your rotor is thick and the scratches are not overly deep, your mechanic may be able to resurface the rotor. However, a rotor that is too thin for resurfacing or too deeply marred will need to be replaced.
If you have not had your brakes serviced or checked recently, contact an automotive repair shop in your area.
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