Changes To Your Braking Experience Indicative Of The Need For Car Servicing

Despite the crucial role that brakes play when driving your vehicle, it is easy to forget about them when they are in working condition. And since these auto parts are designed for durability due to the extreme conditions they operate in, they can last a while, and this contributes to their neglect. Needless to say, brakes are not immune to eventual degradation. And the difference between getting involved in a collision and driving safely on the road is spotting the red flags of deterioration and having the brakes serviced as soon as possible. The easiest way to detect issues with these components is variations in how they feel underfoot. Here are just three changes to your braking experience that are indicative of the need for car services.

The brake pedal has lost pressure

If your brake pedal is no longer in the right position but instead is close to the floor, it means that it has lost the pressure needed to keep it in place. Loss of pressure occurs due to two main problems. First, the brake fluid could have diminished, which simply requires a refill. Second, the master cylinder is not functioning optimally, which is typically due to an undiagnosed leak. You should also note that in some cases, loss of pressure might occur when air bubbles have compromised the hydraulic system. Getting your car serviced will ensure that the primary cause is identified and that pressure is restored to the brake pedal.

The brake pedal is spongy

When your brake pedal starts to feel softer than usual, typically described as a spongy feeling underfoot, it should alert you to an underlying problem that should be addressed as soon as possible. In some cases, the sponginess could come about when some air makes its way into the hydraulic lines in the brakes. In other instances, the squishiness could be attributed to calipers that are declining. It is inadvisable to try to tamper with the brakes on your own with the intent of establishing the underlying cause. Instead, you should take your car in for servicing, and your mechanic will carry out an investigation and remedy the problem.

The brake pedal is excessively rigid

Since you can experience issues with the brake pedal being too loose or squishy underfoot, you can also experience the opposite if the brake pedal is so firm that it causes you problems when trying to push down on it. The originator of this specific problem is obstructions in the brake line that will need the expertise of a mechanic to eliminate.

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