Your Cadillac’s brakes are designed to bring your car to an almost instant and smooth stop. The braking system has many different components, all of which must work together to control your speed. Over time, the heat and pressure in the system, together with environmental factors like water and mud, can cause wear and damage. As your Cadillac dealer, we’d like you to know a few signs that you need to visit us for a brake repair.
Signs You Need a Brake Repair at Your Cadillac Dealer
Soft Brake Pedal
Your braking system depends on highly pressurized brake fluid. This pressure is essential, as the brake fluid has to force your brakes to engage and bring your car to a stop when it’s moving at speed. You can feel the pressure in the braking system when you press down on the brake pedal. The harder you press, the more resistance you should feel.
If you step on the pedal and feel little resistance, your braking system has a problem. This situation is caused by either a brake hose blockage or a brake fluid leak. In either case, your braking system won’t work effectively, and you may not be able to stop. We’ll need to examine your braking system to identify and repair the issue.
Hard Brake Pedal
A hard brake pedal is the exact opposite of the condition above. When you press down on the pedal, you’ll feel extreme resistance, and the pedal will barely move. This particular issue is caused by the failure of an important brake component called the brake pedal booster. The booster is designed to make braking easier and smoother, as it generates 10x normal human pressure when you brake.
The booster uses a vacuum system to generate the necessary pressure. Over time, the booster can weaken, or the vacuum could become compromised. Braking will be extremely difficult and strenuous as you try and force the brakes to work. Our technicians will investigate the booster and repair or replace it to fix this problem.
Wobbling When You Brake
When you brake, the brake fluid forces brake calipers against the wheel rotors. The calipers contain brake pads, and these pads generate friction against the smooth rotor surfaces. Braking generates heat, and the heat can be extreme enough to cause some of the pad material to adhere to the rotor surface. As time passes, this material will build up, making the rotor surface uneven.
If a caliper grabs part of the smooth surface and part of the uneven surface, you’ll feel a wobbling or vibrations through the pedal. Our technicians can fix this issue by either cleaning the rotor or resurfacing it, depending on the level of damage.
Driving with worn or damaged brakes is dangerous. Contact our service department today at Earnhardt Chandler Cadillac in Chandler, AZ, for an expert repair.
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