Mike Molstead Motors

Jan 6, 2023

 Your braking system requires regular servicing to maintain its edge, or problems can develop. If you need a brake repair in Charles City, IA, your Chevy dealer can help. These are a few warning signs your brakes need to be checked.

Leaking Brake Fluid

Brake fluid is essential for the braking system, as it generates the hydraulic pressure that allows your brakes to work. The fluid is stored in the brake fluid reservoir and released into the system by the brake master cylinder. The cylinder also controls the pressure in the system to enable the fluid to work effectively.

A leak can be difficult to detect, as brake fluid is slightly yellowish and looks similar to cooking oil. This can make it difficult to see under certain conditions. If you don’t see a leak, you’ll detect it by a weaker response when you hit the brakes. A low brake fluid level increases your braking distance, which can be dangerous. We’ll examine the system to find and repair the leak then we’ll refill the brake fluid.

brake repair

Worn Brake Pads

The brake pads fit into the brake calipers. Hydraulic pressure from the brake fluid forces the calipers against the brake rotors. The pads have a friction material covering that generates friction against the rotors and brings them to a stop. The material covering the pads slowly wears down each time you apply the brakes.

When the material covering has worn down to 1/4″ thickness, it’s time to replace the pads. At first, you’ll hear a screeching noise from the brakes as a reminder to change the pads. As time passes, the screeching noise will give way to a harsher grinding noise as the worn pads damage the rotors. We advise calling us as soon as you hear the first screech so we can replace the pads and prevent any damage.

Damaged Brake Booster

As we’ve seen, the braking system is pressurized. When you hit the brakes, you have to generate sufficient for to overcome the resistance of the pressurized fluid. Average strength isn’t sufficient to do this, and that’s where the brake booster comes in. The booster uses a vacuum system to generate immense pressure to make stepping on the pedal easier.

If the booster is damaged, you’ll feel almost overwhelming resistance from the pedal. This is dangerous as it will make braking more challenging. We can repair or replace the booster to fix this problem.

If your brakes aren’t working as well as they should, call us ASAP at Mike Molstead Motors.