Lowest Price's in the Shenandoah Valley on all your Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge /Ram vehicles.
No driver expects brake failure to happen to them, but 300,000 road accidents each year are caused by brake trouble in the US. With regular maintenance visits, you can ensure you won’t be counted among these unfortunate victims. It’s also wise to keep an eye out for the following issues, which should prompt you to visit your local Chrysler dealer for brake repair.
Reduced Stopping Power
If you ever press the brake pedal and your car takes longer than usual to stop, don’t hesitate to have your brakes examined. You might be experiencing brake fade, which results from overheating brakes after too much continual use. If there’s a spongy feeling to the pedal, you might have a leaking brake hose, instead.
Worn Out Brake Pads
A rather less urgent problem is a worn-out brake pad. Your brake pads clamp the rotor discs whenever you slow your car. Each time they do so, the upper friction layer wears down a little more.
Eventually, a brake pad’s friction layer is almost gone, at which point you’ll hear a squealing sound. This means it’s time for a new pad.
Damaged Rotor Discs
Rotors can sometimes become scored or warped when they heat up too much. An overheating brake pad can also leave melted resin smeared over the rotor.
If one of your rotors is damaged, you’ll often feel a rhythmic vibration through the pedal. You’ll probably need to have the rotor replaced.
Warped Brake Drums
The rear wheels of many cars still use a drum-brake system. Like rotor discs, drums can also warp out of shape when overheating.
If a drum brake becomes warped or misaligned in any other way, you’ll also feel a rhythmic vibrating or bumping. The malfunctioning drum will need to be readjusted or swapped out.
Loose Caliper Pins
On very rare occasions, the pins inside a caliper can start to come loose. You’ll hear them clicking or grinding in the mechanism when you slow your car. A technician will most likely need to take the caliper apart to refasten the pins.
Aging Brake Fluid
Brake fluid needs to be refreshed every two years on average. If you forget, or if you’re driving in conditions that require excessive braking, your aging fluid might diminish so much that your hoses lose some hydraulic force. This will result in a spongy sensation when you brake.
Leaking Brake Fluid
You’ll notice a much more dramatic change in your brakes if your brake fluid ever leaks. If the pedal suddenly becomes soft and spongy underfoot, pull over safely.
Then check under your car and in the wheel wells for signs of leaking yellowy-brown fluid. Never drive with leaking brake fluid. Your vehicle isn’t safe until the leak has been found and fixed.
How a Chrysler Dealer Inspects Your Brakes
When you take your car in for brake servicing, the technician will check your fluid first. They’ll inspect all the brake hoses under your bonnet and underneath the vehicle. Finally, they’ll raise your car and remove the wheels and braking mechanisms to inspect each component.
Have your brakes serviced and repaired today at Criswell Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Woodstock. We offer the best vehicle deals in all of Shenandoah Valley.
Image by NoName_13 from Pixabay
