You can count on Cergizan’s Auto and Truck Repair for all of your automotive service needs, including the brakes. We maintain brake systems and also repair and replace them when necessary. Let’s talk about vehicle brakes, because they are one of the most important safety features on your automobile. It doesn’t matter if you drive a car, truck, crossover, SUV, or van, you need to be able to stop safely every time you press down on the brake pedal.
Brake Types
Your vehicle has one or more of the following brake types: anti-lock, disc, and/or drum. Today’s vehicles usually have a combination of all three with disc brakes on the front wheels, drum brakes on the back, and an anti-lock system for added safety. Let’s explain the difference between the brake types further:
- Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS): Adjusts the power to the wheels to prevent them from locking up and skidding when you slam on the brakes, especially on wet roads.
- Disc Brakes: Attaches rotors to the wheels and uses hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder to the calipers to press the brake pads against the rotors.
- Drum Brakes: Attaches drums to the wheels and uses hydraulic pressure to press brake shoes against the drums to slow down and stop the vehicle.
Your vehicle also has an emergency brake, which many people also call the parking brake. When you set this brake, you engage a secondary brake system that applies pressure on the wheels so they will not move. You may have noticed this if you have tried to drive without releasing the parking brake.
Signs of Brake Trouble
Your vehicle will let you know if it’s having brake trouble, and it’s important to heed the warnings. Sure, it’s great to watch an exciting scene in an action movie where a vehicle has lost its brakes, but you don’t really want to face that in reality, do you? Signs your brakes are going bad include
- A brake warning light on the dashboard
- Chemical smells coming from the brakes
- Grinding or squealing sounds when you brake
- Wobbling or vibration when you brake
- A squishy or airy-feeling brake pedal
- Your car pulling to the side while braking
To avoid any of these warning signs, have your brakes inspected and serviced every 15,000 to 30,000 miles. This helps us here at Cergizan’s Auto and Truck Repair in Chesterton, IN, to replace any brake parts that are wearing down before they cause serious brake trouble.