Even the most experienced drivers can have accidents, and sometimes they are unavoidable. Problems with the brakes going out can be one of the causes of such accidents, but they can also be avoided by keeping up with your car maintenance. It is important that you know some of the components of your brakes, how they work and signs of potential trouble. The most important information you should know about your brakes is:

How Brakes Work And Keeping Up With The Brake Fluid Level

The brakes of your car work with a type of hydraulic system. When you apply pressure to the pedal, this causes a set of pads to squeeze the rotors of the wheels and stop your car. The brake system uses a type of hydraulic fluid called brake fluid. It is important that your brakes have fluid to ensure they the system stops your car. The fluid can be check in the engine compartment in a small box near the steering column. This is the master cylinder of your brake system and contains the hydraulic cylinders that operate your brakes. You can remove the top of the box to check the level of fluid and top it off if it is low.

Watching The Wear On Your Brake Pads And Changing Them As Needed

The next part of your brake system are the pads, which are pads with a hardened material on them. These are what provide the friction to give your car stopping power and they are meant to be disposable and eventually wear out. When they become too worn, the pads can cause the brake system to become too hot due to the friction caused from metal to metal. This can cause a lot of problems with your brakes, such as warping the rotors or causing the calipers to freeze, which provide the hydraulic action of opening and closing the pads. You need to check the pads regularly to make sure that they have pad material. If your brakes start making a light scraping sound, this is a sign that it is time to change the pads.

Know Your Brake Pedal And How It Should Feel To Avoid Sudden Brake Failure

When you step on your brake pedal, it is essentially like pulling a hydraulic lever. There should always be some resistance when you apply pressure, which may feel like the pedal is tight. The pedal should never feel loose and easily go all the way down to the floor-board. When the pedal is loose, it can be a sign that there is a problem with the brake system. The problem can be caused by many things, such as air getting into the lines, leaks in the brake system or a bad master cylinder that needs to be replaced. Generally, your brake system should not lose fluid and should be checked if the loose pedal problem ends when you add brake fluid.

Knowing when there is potential for a serious brake problem can help you stay safe and avoid sudden accidents. When the pads become worn or you have unexpected problems, contact a brake service to make sure mechanical failure of your car is not the cause of an accident. Visit http://www.advancedautocareca.com for more information.