Brakes

Complete Brake Repair and Service in Willoughby Ohio

Why you should Flush your Brake Fluid

Your brake fluid requires regular service because it becomes contaminated by moisture.

How does moisture get into your brake fluid? Brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means that it attracts and absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, usually through the brake master cylinder reservoir and permeable brake hoses.

Moisture contamination lowers the boiling point of your brake fluid, so even under ordinary driving conditions, moisture could cause the fluid to boil and release vapor into your brake system. When this vapor compresses inside the system, you may find yourself facing a most dreaded driving crisis- a dangerously low brake peddle or no brake peddle at all!

Moisture contamination can also result in very costly repairs, into the thousands, if you have ABS type brakes. When moisture-contaminated brake fluid reaches very high temperatures, as much as 450-500 degrees, an electrochemical reaction makes the fluid highly acidic. The acid breaks down the steel lines and rubber hoses and can cause early failure of the cast iron and aluminum components in the brake system module.

Brake fluid contamination has become so much of a concern, car manufacturers have added brake fluid service to their required maintenance schedules.

Let our ASE certified technicians at Willoughby Hills Auto Repair perform this important safety service for you today.

Power Brakes

Basically, the power brake system helps you provide braking power so that you don’t have to do all the work with your brake pedal.

The brakes themselves are applied at the wheel using hydraulic pressure. When we step on the brake pedal, we create pressure in the power booster that’s multiplied by vacuum from the engine. The resulting pressure pushes brake fluid through the master cylinder into tubes and hoses that run to the brake at each wheel.

When there’s a problem, it’s usually a fluid leak somewhere along the line. It could be at a fitting or a hose, or even an internal leak in the master cylinder. A leak gives the pressurized fluid somewhere to go other than to the brakes, so stopping power is hurt. Lose enough fluid and you can’t stop at all. Of course, that’s extremely dangerous.

If you notice any decrease in stopping power or if your pedal seems mushy, you could have a problem. There are some preventive maintenance items for the power brake system that will help them last longer.

Obviously, you’d want to make sure your brake fluid is filled to the recommended level. Low fluid in the master cylinder could indicate a leak or worn brake material. Master cylinder leaks are usually just because it’s worn out but, leaks in the brake lines and connectors can be minimized by replacing the brake fluid from time to time. Brake fluid has additives that protect against corrosion that can damage brake components.

Brake fluid also attracts moisture which can lead to rust – not a good thing for expensive anti-lock brake components. Also, significant amounts of water in the brake fluid can affect stopping power because the water has a much lower boiling point than brake fluid. In the high-temperature environment of the brake system, the water can vaporize – and steam doesn’t do a very good job of providing hydraulic pressure.

A final word – make sure you use the recommended type of brake fluid. There are several kinds and using the wrong one can lead to total brake failure. Our service advisor at Willoughby Hills Auto Repair can help you. Just give us a call at 440-497-0999.

Drum Brake Repair

Brakes that work properly are essential to your safety as you drive and stop on our Northeast Ohio streets. You want to carefully maintain your brakes. In vehicles equipped with drum brakes, the brake components are housed inside a drum that rotates with the wheel. When you step on the brake pedal, brake shoes push out against the inside of the drum, slowing the wheel.

Now brake shoes just wear away with use from rubbing on the drum as you brake. When it’s time to replace brake shoes, it’s a straight-forward repair.

If you hear squealing or grinding when braking, have your Willoughby Hills service advisor check them out. He’ll have a technician perform a thorough brake inspection to see what needs to be done. He’ll check for signs of brake problems and go over other brake components to see that they’re working properly.

He can tell you if it’s time to replace the brake shoes or if there are other issues with your brakes that should be addressed. Some people in our Willoughby Hills community ignore the warning signs and keep driving long after the shoes are completely worn out. When that happens, metal brake components will grind against the drum, damaging it enough that it has to be resurfaced or replaced.

When you push on your brake pedal, the wheel cylinder is activated and it pushes the shoes against the drum to slow the vehicle. This cylinder, and various springs within the brake can wear out affecting your ability to stop. The worn components can be easily replaced.

The new brake shoes we put on your sedan or other vehicles will restore your brakes to manufacturers’ specifications. Or, we can install upgraded parts to increase your stopping power and reduce brake noise and brake dust. We have several options to meet your braking requirements and your budget.

Taking care of your brakes keeps them working safely – and you could prevent a premature brake repair down the road.
At Willoughby Hills Auto Repair in Willoughby Hills OH we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Call us at 440-497-0999.

“Squealing” Disc Brakes

Question: What are the signs that I need a brake repair?

Willoughby Hills Auto Repair Answer:
Signs of brake problems often fall into one of two categories for Willoughby Hills car owners: making noise or a pulsation in the brake pedal. Let’s start with the noise.

Most brake pads have an audible brake wear indicator. This is a small piece of metal that rubs on your brake rotor when the brake pads are worn to the point they should be replaced. The noise is a chirp or soft squeal. This noise gives Willoughby Hills motorists enough important warning to get their brakes serviced while there is still enough brake pad left to enable you to stop safely.

Willoughby Hills car owners who ignore the chirp commonly find that the sound changes to a grinding noise. That is more serious. It means that the friction material on your brake pad is worn away and metal parts of the brake are grinding against the rotor when you press on the brakes. Obviously, this detrimental metal-on-metal means that your brakes aren’t stopping very well. It also means that your rotor is being damaged. It may need to be resurfaced or even replaced.

Pedal pulsation is another noticeable issue. When your rotor is not in perfect alignment, it pushes against the brake pads unevenly as you apply the brakes. There could be a number of reasons for this. The rotor and wheel hub may not be mating well, causing the rotor to be spinning out of vertical alignment. This harmful misalignment can be caused by either the rotor or the hub, or a combination of the two. If this problem persists, the rotor may even start to wear unevenly to the point that its thickness varies, causing an even more noticeable pulsation. This uneven mating of the brake pad and the rotor when braking means less contact and it will lessen braking power.

Your service center or the team at Willoughby Hills Auto Repair in Willoughby Hills can determine the cause of the harmful misalignment and remedy the trouble.

Either unusual brake noise or pedal pulsation are signs for Willoughby Hills drivers that there are brake problems. Willoughby Hills motorists should have a tech at Willoughby Hills Auto Repair inspect their brakes thoroughly and recommend any critical steps necessary to correct the issue.

A regular brake inspection is on every sedan’s recommended list. Ask your caring Willoughby Hills Auto Repair service advisor if it’s time for a critical brake inspection.