Brake maintenance and repair are among the most important services we offer here at Scotty’s Automotive Service, LLC. If you can’t stop your car, truck, or C/SUV, well, you know what will happen. If you notice any of the following seven things, bring your vehicle to us for a brake inspection and repair as soon as you can. We want to help you avoid getting yourself stuck in a dangerous situation.
Brake Light Stays On
If your brake light comes on and stays on even though the parking brake is not set, it’s trying to tell you something. Usually, this means your brake pads need to be replaced. The warning light could also signal a malfunction in the anti-lock braking system.
Sounds When You Brake
When you apply your brakes, you shouldn’t hear anything unless you have to stop so quickly that you burn rubber. Grinding or scraping is a metal-on-metal sound made by worn brake pads rubbing against the rotors. Squealing could be the pad wear indicators.
Unusual Movement When You Brake
Your vehicle should only shake, rattle, and roll when you’re rocking out to the stereo. When you brake, vibration or wobbling indicates worn rotors, a stuck caliper, or problems with your tires or wheels. You will feel the movement in your brake pedal or steering wheel.
Brake Fluid Leaks
Fluid leaking onto your garage floor is never a good thing, especially if the fluid is brake fluid. Brake fluid leaks come from the worn hoses or the master cylinder. Fluid will also leak if the reservoir is overfilled. Brake fluid is light-to-dark brown and slick to the touch.
Soft Brake Pedal
If you are low on brake fluid or you have air in the brake lines, your brake pedal might feel soft or spongy. It might even give into and then resist your foot pressure again. It could also sink to the floor. None of this is good, and it’s important to have your brakes inspected ASAP.
Car Pulls to the Side When You Brake
This is a strange sign that you need brake repair because it doesn’t happen that often. If your vehicle pulls to the side when you apply the brakes, you have a caliper issue on one of the wheels or a bad hose. This causes a stoppage imbalance, and your vehicle pulls to the unbalanced side.
Burning/Hot Smells
If you slam on your brakes, you’ll smell them; that’s the only time you should. Hot, burning, chemical smells indicate serious trouble. Your brakes are getting too hot, and if the fluid starts to boil, you’ll lose your brakes altogether. You should never see smoke coming from the brakes, either.
Scotty’s Automotive Service, LLC, in Montague, NJ, is a full-service automotive maintenance and repair shop. Call us to schedule an appointment for brake maintenance today.
