Chapter 5

 Brakes

Brakes are an extremely important part of your vehicle so it is important to have them inspected regularly, but no less often than once a year. Your brakes will usually let you know when there is a problem. Fortunately there are few symptoms which are generally quite easy to spot.

The way the pedal feels is usually indicative of a brake problem. For instance, a low or spongy pedal is generally caused by air in the hydraulic system. A low, but firm pedal likely is a sign that you need the parking brake or rear shoes to be adjusted. A high pedal is probably a sign of a problem in your power braking system. A pulsing or hoping pedal indicates a problem with your rotors or drums, which may include rotors or drums that are out of round or wobbling and in the case of rotors, a rotor may be warped.

Your brakes may inform you of a problem by making a squealing sound. This noise generally indicates worn out or missing hardware, or that your pads need replacing. A grinding noise when braking may result if the brake lining has been worn to the metal backing.

If you have a red brake warning light on your dashboard that is constantly on you may have low brake fluid, a broken parking brake switch, a malfunctioning proportioning valve, or perhaps simply an electrical short (see electrical section). If your rear wheels lock you may have out-of-round or oversized brake drums, grease on the brake shoes, loose wheel cylinders, or problems with your hydraulic control valves.

If the vehicle pulls during braking you may have defective suspension, a leaking wheel cylinder, a plugged brake hose, a stuck wheel cylinder or caliper piston, or improper tire pressure.

Whatever the problem, it is important to get the problem taken care of. Many service providers including your dealer, local repairer, or many shops that specialize in brakes, exhaust, and suspension systems can handle these repairs for you.

For your information, a complete brake overhaul would generally include replacing pads or shoes, resurfacing drums or rotors, reconditioning or replacing the calipers or wheel cylinders, inspecting the master cylinder, replacing drum or disk hardware, inspecting lines and hoses, inspecting and adjusting parking brake, flushing and refilling brake system with new brake fluid, and repacking or if needed replacing wheel bearings.