Your brakes are arguably the most important safety system in your Ford, as they allow you to reduce your speed and stop within seconds. Like all other systems, components will wear out or become damaged and need repair. As your Ford dealer, we want to tell you about some signs you need to visit us for brake maintenance.
Signs You Need Brake Maintenance at Your Ford Dealer
Hard Brake Pedal
When you push down on the brake pedal, you should feel resistance. Pressurized brake fluid generates this resistance, which increases as you exert more pressure. If you feel extreme resistance and have to work to push the pedal down, you have a damaged brake pedal booster.
The brake pedal booster is positioned between the brake pedal and the rest of the braking system. It uses a vacuum system to magnify the force exerted on the pedal 10x. This allows you to use little physical effort to engage the brakes easily. The booster can wear out, or the vacuum system might become compromised. We’ll check the booster and repair or replace it.
Brake Fluid Leak
As we saw above, brake fluid is essential for providing the hydraulic power that forces the braking system to engage. The system is pressurized to supply the necessary force to bring your vehicle to a stop even when it’s traveling at speed. The pressure generates heat, and the combination of heat, pressure, and natural wear and tear can cause a leak.
As brake fluid leaks, resistance from the pedal will decrease. You’ll notice your braking distance is increasing and brake responsiveness drops. This can make driving more dangerous, as the fluid loss will eventually prevent the brakes from working. Our technicians will find and fix the leak, and we’ll refill the brake fluid.
Screeching Noises
Brake pads provide the friction necessary to stop the wheel rotors. When you jam on the brakes, the pads are forced against the wheel rotors. Each pad has a friction-producing material covering that slowly wears down. Once the material drops to 1/4″ thickness, braking responsiveness will slow and you’ll hear screeching noises each time you brake.
A built-in warning device is the source of these screeching noises. Each pad has a metal spike buried inside it. When the pad has worn down sufficiently, the spike is exposed and will scratch against the rotor until the pad is replaced.
If you have a brake problem, contact us today at Clay Maxey Ford of Harrison in Harrison, AR.
