6 brake problems that you should never ignore

Many car owners tend to ignore signs that point to wear and tear in their cars. This is not a good practice, people do this even with their brakes and that can be a difference between life and death. Brakes are one of the most important things in a vehicle.

You need to maintain them and service them after regular intervals or in the time frame that is recommended by the manufacturer. If you do not maintain them, it will decrease your braking performance drastically which can be very dangerous. Here are some brake problems that you should never ignore:

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Vibrating steering wheel or brake pedal

The steering wheel or the brake pedal starts vibrating if the front rotors form some irregularities or they are warped for some reason. Because of the inconsistency on the rotor’s surface, the vibrations from the brake pads are transferred to the steering wheel or the brake pedal. You can consult your authorized service center to level the rotor’s surface as there may be a chance that can correct this issue.

Car Pulling to One Side When Braking

If your car starts pulling towards one side when you brake then it means that the calipers are not applying even pressure on the discs. It can happen due to a faulty brake hose which is very dangerous. The other one is a stalled caliper which can happen due to the rust or corrosion or a bent piston. Driving with one caliper can result in heating of that caliper as it is taking the whole pressure of braking and that is very risky as it can fail.

Burning smell while braking

If you smell a burning odour, it might happen that your braking fluid or discs are overheating. In such a situation, you should come to a halt as soon as possible because this can cause brake failure. First thing you should do after coming to a halt, is to check if your parking brake is engaged or not. Then, check your discs if they are emitting smoke or not and then open up your bonnet. This will help your brake fluid and discs to cool down. Once, the brakes are cooled down, you can continue and get it checked-up. Usually, this happens on downhills so drive carefully and come to occasional stops so that your brakes can

Brake warning light or ABS warning light

Every car has a tell-tale light for the brake warning and ABS warning. Usually, the brake warning light turns on when hydraulic pressure has been lost or the brake fluid is low in the master cylinder whereas the ABS warning light turns on means that there is something wrong with the Anti-lock braking system. If you ever encounter a scenario where anyone of them turns on, you should consult your authorized service centre as soon as possible as they will be able to check and verify for you if there is something wrong with the system. The meaning of these lights may be different for every manufacturer but that does not mean that you can take it casually.

Brake squeaking noise

Brake pads come with metallic indicators that make a screeching sound when they come in contact with the discs. This system is made to warn you about the life of your brake pads which is about to end. If your brake pads get totally worn out, they will damage the discs and will reduce the braking power drastically. This will cost you a lot of money to repair or you will have to replace the discs all together along with the brake pads. The noise can also be produced due to low lubrication levels in the rear drum brakes which your mechanic will be able to check for you.

Spongy or soft brake pedal

If the feel of your brake pedal changes and you think that it is soft or spongy or it goes straight till the floor, it means that there is some problem with your master cylinder. There could be moisture or air or a leak somewhere in the braking system due to which the pressure is dropping in the brake pedal.

These are some of the problems that you should never ignore as it can lead to a catastrophic brake failure. Following these could help you save a lot of money that you would have to incur in repairing of the damaged parts if you do not take care and properly maintain the brakes of a vehicle. Manufacturers try their best to warn in advance with noises and tell-tale lights so that you do not get into some trouble but still it is on us to be aware of the condition of your car.

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