Most common brake failures and their possible solutions

All the brake failure they are very normal and usually indicate the need for certain adjustments to the car or to get some spare parts. Here are the most common ones and how they can be fixed. Always bearing in mind that they are key elements of car safety and that they must be treated with the rigor of a professional.

For this reason, even if we explain various breakdowns to you, we will always recommend that you take it to a workshop, unless you yourself have advanced mechanical skills. Otherwise, you should treat the information presented here as a useful extension of knowledge to avoid paying more than the bill in establishments that are not trustworthy.

Low brake fluid level

This may indicate a leak in the braking system. If your brake warning light is red, the problem is likely a leak, but it could also represent a low level of fluid due to use in the brake system. In the event that a leak is detected, the faulty component must be replaced, which is why the car must not be driven until it is repaired. If the low level is due to use, it is time to change the brake fluid.

Related article:

How to know if the vehicle is leaking brake fluid

The pedal brakes too low

When the brake pedal is very low, it means that the rear brake pad adjusters are rusted and stuck. In this case, it is necessary to adjust and clean the rear brakes, or change the system linings to resolve the fault completely.

Scraping noise when braking

This situation may indicate a poor state of the brake pads. It is a signal that indicates that the car's brakes need immediate intervention by expert hands, in addition to a prompt changing pills. You cannot ignore this type of brake failure at any time, so when you hear this noise it is necessary to stop using the car.

screeching brakes

This annoying sound can be caused by vibrations between the disc brake pads and its supports or, on the disk (also called rotor). Some brake linings also tend to be a bit noisier than others because of their setting materials. This noise that can be eliminated by replacing the old pastes with new ones or with the coating and disc replacement.

Related article:

How to make the brakes stop screeching?

Hard brake pedal and little braking

A hard pedal can be caused by a loose belt on feed pump, can also mean a low fluid level, leaks in the supply hoses or faulty valves in the braking system, depending on which one it is. If this type of brake failure occurs, it is better to turn to a specialist, since they require technical applications for their repair.

In essence, these are just a few common brake problems, which can occur anywhere. braking system. There may also be some other brake complications seen in driving dynamics. Therefore, below we are going to tell you what you will notice in the event of a major mismatch, its possible cause and the solution.

Related article:

My brake pedal sinks

loss of effectiveness

Another of the most common brake failures is that the car not have the same effectiveness when braking. That is, they brake very little and it costs too much to make the car stop, requiring not only more strength, but more time with the pedal pressed.

This fault usually has very varied causes, so the ideal is remove the wheel and make a brief visual inspection of the brakes, noticing the wear, breakage or lack of any of its fundamental parts.

If there are no worn or damaged parts, what may be behind it is the need for a brake fluid replacement. For this, it is advisable to remove it completely and place a new one, a fairly simple but delicate task that is usually explained in the manual of each car.

Instead, if what needs to be changed are parts such as brake pads, linings, drums or calipers, it is recommended go to the workshop as soon as possible closest, to avoid causing damage that will increase the bill.

Car pulls sideways when braking

Continuing with the analysis of the different brake system failure, we find this characteristic behavior of the car. The problem is that many times it is not noticed until it gets noticeably worse.

It consists in that when we activate the brake pedal with the car in motion, we notice that tilt slightly, even if the steering wheel is kept straight. What can lead to an accident or at least the loss of vehicle control if we go at a high speed.

Most often, this fault is related to the state of the tires. Especially when one of them has little pressure (and let's not say if it has a crack or puncture), although it can also have its origin in the brakes themselves. As far as they are concerned, the deviation can be caused by:

• Misadjusted or poorly adjusted brakes. What is always seen on ITV and that if accused can mean an unfavorable report.
• Some greased brake
• El cylinder of a brake stiff
• El brake fluid is lost and is generating corrosion in other components
• Poorly seated brake pads somewhere

Another common cause is that there is a poor tire alignment, in which case we recommend that you take a look at the article How can I know if my car needs an alignment? It can also influence the shock absorbers are in poor condition, for which we recommend that you visit Faults and maintenance in the shock absorbers.

Images – Paul VanDerWerf, schwartz.mark, Thomas Nes Myhre, TireZoo, Paulius Malinovskis