El Paso Brake Check « Brake Buddy's Auto Repair & Maintenance Blog

Posts Tagged ‘El Paso Brake Check’

Maintenance Tips That Keep Your Brakes From Failing

Monday, September 6th, 2010

Your vehicle’s brakes are one of the most important parts. Old malfunctioning brakes are a threat to your safety.

To make sure your vehicle’s brakes are working properly, you should check your brakes every six months. We recommend using the “Sound” and “Sight” method to do the job right.

Brake Sounds

When driving your vehicle, you may hear some strange sounds coming from your vehicle’s wheels. Here’s the “Sound” diagnosis:

Squeaking and Scratching Sounds: These sounds may be due to worn brake pads or dirt or dust on the brakes.
Rhythmic Thumping Sounds: This sound may be due to a warped rotor.

If you hear either of these two sounds get your vehicle to a mechanic as soon as possible. Holding off on brake repairs can be dangerous.

Brake Sights

If you have some automotive maintenance experience, we recommend looking at the following parts to help diagnose your brake problem. Here’s the “Sight” method:

Brake Pads: Look for wearing and cracking. If you see wearing and cracking, the brake pads could be the problem.
Rotors: Look for any scratches or grooves. If you see either of these, it’s time to replace your rotors.

During your six-month check, also be sure to examine your vehicle’s brake fluid. Also check your repair log to see the last time your brakes were repaired. If you do not have a repair log, we suggest you start one.

If you are keeping a log, be sure to write down your vehicle’s mileage for all repairs, especially brake repairs.

Following these steps will help let you know when it’s time for an El Paso brake check or a Las Cruces brake check. Remember, don’t sit on brake problems.

Tags: brake diagnosis, El Paso Brake Check, Las Cruces Brake Check
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Does Your Newer Car Have a Warped Rotor?

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

If you’re driving your car and you feel a pulsation through the brake pedal or steering wheel, you may have a warped rotor.

If you’re unfamiliar with this, a rotor is a part of your car’s disk braking system located on each end of each axle. A properly functioning rotor interacts with the brake pads to ensure your vehicle will be able to slow down and stop. Damaged rotors can cause problems stopping.

Warped rotors are a problem in some newer cars because the rotors are thin, which causes them to get warped easier.

Causes of warped rotors include common wear and tear as well as if the brakes are very hot after a long drive. Rotors also can become warped if your vehicle’s brake pads are not regularly replaced.

While it is possible to inspect your vehicle’s braking system to see if the rotors are warped, we recommend taking your vehicle to a reputable mechanic to diagnose the problem.

Depending on the severity of the problem, mechanics can repair the rotors by shaving off a small area of the rotor surface to make it smooth again. Other times, the rotor is beyond repair and must be replaced.

We recommend taking your vehicle to the mechanic if you feel a pulsation coming from the brakes. Having an Albuquerque brake check or an El Paso brake check can help diagnose this problem.

Tags: Albuquerque Brake Check, El Paso Brake Check
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How To Tell If You Need A Brake Fluid Flush

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

The other day we wrote a blog about the importance of brake fluid flushes. In it, we mentioned that not having your brake fluid flushed regularly can cause major damage to your brakes and can be very expensive to repair.

Since then, we’ve received a number of questions about just how often your brake fluid needs to be flushed and how to tell when you need to do it.

At Brake Masters, we recommend that you have your brake fluid flushed every 30,000 miles or during your next Phoenix brake check or El Paso brake check.

If you’re not sure when you’re last fluid flush was, there are a few easy ways to check for yourself. Some auto parts stores will sell you test strips that will tell you how high the moisture is in your brake fluid is. If it’s too high, it’s time for a flush.

The other method, which is less precise, but also less expensive, is simply looking at the fluid. Remove the cap from your brake master cylinder and examine your vehicle’s fluid. If it’s black or very dark, it’s time for a change. If it’s clear or has a slightly yellow color, you still have time before your next fluid flush.

Tags: Brake Fluid Flush, El Paso Brake Check, Phoenix Brake Check
Posted in Brake Repair Tips, Car Fluids Info | Comments Off

What to Do If Your Brakes Break

Friday, March 5th, 2010

While it’s highly unlikely, it’s possible for the brakes of a vehicle give out if they have not had an Albuquerque brake check or an El Paso brake repair in a long time. This can be a scary and highly dangerous situation, but if you know what to do you can get out of it without a scratch.

You will need to stay calm and keep paying attention to the road and steering as usual. If you divert your eyes you are likely to run into something far quicker. Next, pay attention to what happens when you try to brake. If the brake just goes straight down to the floor you might be able to fix it by pumping the brake continuously with your foot. If the brake does not move, there might be something caught under the brake that you may be able to kick out or remove.

Next you will want to try to downshift your vehicle. Go down one gear at a time but do this as quickly as you can with causing damage to the transmission. This should slow down your car significantly.

Finally, if nothing else is working, pull the emergency brake. This is slower than the normal brake and may hurt your vehicle if you are going too fast but it will work in a pinch.

Tags: Albuquerque Brake Check, brake repair, El Paso Brake Check
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