From Sound to Silence: Maintaining Your Ford’s Braking System

 

Healthy brakes are your Ford’s most important safety system, as they enable you to control your speed. This can often mean the difference between avoiding an accident and being part of the accident. As your Ford dealer, we want to tell you a few signs you may need to visit us for a brake service very soon.

 

Pulling to One Side

Pressurized brake fluid is pumped to the calipers when you hit the brakes, forcing them to close on the rotors. The brake pads in the calipers generate friction, which brings them to a stop. All four calipers are engineered to clamp against the rotors simultaneously. If your Ford pulls to one side when braking, one of the calipers isn’t engaging when it should.

The two main reasons for a caliper not engaging are a blockage in the brake hose leading to it or it could be rusted. Air can enter even the sealed braking system and form a bubble. If a bubble forms in a hose, it prevents the brake fluid from reaching the caliper. Rust can jam a caliper, preventing it from closing when it should. We’ll investigate and fix the problem.

Leaking Brake Fluid

Brake fluid is highly pressurized, which generates heat. As time passes, the heat and pressure can cause a leak in the system. Unlike your other car fluids, brake fluid isn’t easy to spot if it leaks as it’s slightly yellowish and looks like cooking oil.

While you might not see the leak, you’ll feel its effects as the pressure in the braking system drops. When you push down on the pedal, it produces less resistance than it should. The brakes will also take longer to respond. We can trace a fluid leak and repair it then we’ll refill the brake fluid.

Glazed Brake Pads

Brake pads play a vital role in braking, as we’ve seen. When you take your foot off the brake, the calipers withdraw. Glazing occurs when a pad is held too close to the spinning rotor for a prolonged period. This damages the pad and turns it smooth and glass-like. A glazed pad is dangerous, as it can’t produce the friction needed to stop the rotor.

A pad can become glazed if you repeatedly ride your brakes or a damaged caliper doesn’t withdraw when it should. We can’t repair glazed pads, but we can install replacements, and your brakes will work correctly again.

If you have a brake problem, contact us ASAP at Chestatee Ford in Dahlonega, GA.

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