The braking system is one of your Ford’s most essential safety features. Brakes allow you to control the speed of your car and stop at any time. In time, mechanical parts can get damaged, and you’ll need brake repair. As your Ford dealer in Madison, VA, we can fix any braking problem for you. These are examples of some of the problems we can fix.
3 Signs You Could Use a Brake Repair at Your Ford Dealer
Your Car Pulls to One Side
If your car pulls to the left or right when you hit the brakes, this is a sign of a brake problem. When you apply the brakes, all of your wheels should come to a stop at the same time. The pulling movement means that the braking system on one side of your car isn’t working correctly. When you brake, hydraulic pressure from the brake fluid forces the brake calipers to close against the wheel rotors and stop them from moving.
Two of the possible causes of this problem are a blockage in the brake hoses or a damaged caliper. A blockage in the brake hoses will prevent the fluid from exerting the pressure that is needed to make the calipers close on the wheel rotors. A damaged caliper may not close on the rotor, and this will prevent that rotor from coming to a stop. Our technicians will find the source of the problem and repair it.
Vibration From the Pedal
When you step on the brake, you should feel the resistance from the pressurized brake fluid. If, however, you feel a strange vibration from the pedal, the cause is a damaged wheel rotor. As we’ve seen, the brake calipers are forced to close on either of each of the rotors. The calipers contain brake pads that generate the friction that slows and stops your wheels.
The pads have a friction material covering attached to them with strong adhesive. Sometimes, the heat from worn brakes can cause some of this adhesive to liquefy. The liquid adhesive will spread across the wheel rotor, where it will quickly dry. The problem is the dried adhesive will make the rotor surface uneven. When a caliper grabs an uneven rotor surface, you’ll feel a vibration.
Soft Brake Pedal
The brake pedal should provide resistance, as we saw above. If your foot almost touches the floor when you use the brake, you have a soft brake pedal. The lack of resistance is caused by a lack of brake fluid.
If you have a brake fluid leak, the pressure in the braking system will drop. The lack of pressure will make braking difficult. Our technicians will find and repair the cause of the leak.
If your brakes show signs of wear, call us right away at Madison Ford.
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