Brakes
Your vehicles brake system is consists of a long list of parts and all of them are under a great deal of stress much of which depends on how you drive as each of us is very different in that regard. Some of us are more aggressive than others in both starting and stopping our vehicles, we tend to "ride our brakes" and you may carry heavy loads or pull a trailer which will also impact the life of your brakes. The important aspect of your brakes and what their expected life span is that you are absolutely certain that they are working at 100% when you call on them to stop your vehicle at any given time. The task of stopping a car, truck, or SUV which weighs thousands of pounds is certainly not easy and the last thing anyone wants is to find out their brakes have failed catastrophically. When we go in to do a service of your brakes we take it serious and check the entire thoroughly to ensure your vehicle is safe. If you suspect your vehicle may need the brake system service don't wait, call us to schedule an appointment for us to inspect your vehicles brake system and make sure your brakes are safe and performing well.
What should I look out for?
Brake problems come in a variety of forms. Worn brake pads cause squeaking or grinding noises, especially when the brakes are applied, but sometimes constantly. Typically, the sound will vary with the speed of your car, and braking will alter the noise you hear. Bad brakes affect performance too. If you feel like you have to hit the pedal harder than normal to stop your vehicle, the brakes feel weak, or your car pulls to one side whenever you depress the pedal, you likely have a malfunctioning master cylinder, sticking brake caliper, or collapsed hoses. Symptoms may be erratic, sometimes only popping up occasionally, but should not be ignored. Warped or worn rotors damaged by high heat or worn brake pads will cause your car to pulse or vibrate whenever you hit the brakes. This can be damaging to other components and decrease brake performance.