Car Auto Parts Guide

Previous: 16 September 2006

What are the warning signs that it's time to have your vehicle's brakes looked at by a professional certified service facility?

LEESBURG, VA (PRWEB) August 3, 2005 -- You need a brake job. Five words no motorist wants to hear especially if you have taken good care of your car. "What did the manufacturer-or I-do wrong?" you may ask.
"Probably nothing," says Joel Burrows, a.k.a. "The Car Doctor" and VP of Training/R&D at Precision Tune Auto Care (PTAC). "The braking system is designed to wear. If it didn't, it couldn't do the job it does." Burrows advises motorists to view the servicing or replacement of brakes not as repair, which implies a flaw, but as a standard, predictable maintenance item. According to the car doctor, even the noises that brakes make are part of the maintenance design.


Braking pads have wear indicators. When the brake pads get worn to a certain point, they are designed to scrape against the turning rotor and make a noise. According to Burrows, those nails-on-chalkboard squeals are alerting you to get your brake system inspected. That is the impetus behind "Stop the Noise," a PTAC consumer education program where drivers can get a free brake inspection at participating locations in August, September and October. There's even a customer sweepstakes being offered at each center to encourage the public to take care of their brakes, where car owners can win iPods, iTune gift cards and free Oil Changes.


Here are some of the warning signs that it's time to have your vehicle's brakes looked at by a professional certified service facility:


*Brake light is on. Unless the parking brake is on, the light usually is an indication that the brake fluid is low.


*You see or smell brake fluid. This points to a leak. Brake fluid is a light amber color. And if you smell its pungent odor once, says Burrows, "you will never forget what it smells like."


*Brake pedal or wheel vibrates. Vibrations indicate issues developing on the surface of the rotor.


*Brakes squeal until you come to a stop. Although squealing brakes almost always pinpoint the need for servicing, Burrows cites an exception here. "If your brakes were recently serviced and you still hear an occasional squeal, the facility probably didn't follow the proper process to its final point, but there may not be too much cause for concern."


*Brakes squeal when you release the brake pedal. This can indicate the brake wear indicators are scraping against the rotors.


*Brakes grind or growl. The sound of metal on metal is clear evidence that the brake pads are completely worn down.


When the symptoms of brake issues appear, "Treat it early, like a virus" Burrows advises. He adds that most vehicle owner's manuals recommend that brake inspections occur at least once a year; for heavy towing and hauling, twice a year. "The proper way to service a brake system is to make sure each step performed addresses the specific requirements for making sure the vehicle stops exactly as the factory intended it to stop. And that is quiet and responsive." According to Burrows, proper servicing by a professional certified service facility should include these procedures:


*Test brake fluid. Brake fluid becomes contaminated with metal particles and moisture. "The reasons we often have to replace critical braking components like calipers and wheel cylinders," says Burrows, "is because the brake fluid hasn't been serviced."


*Lubricate contact points. Any metal-to-metal parts in the braking system that might touch should be lubricated to create an effective barrier.


*Don't top it off. The lower the brake fluid, the more lining wear in the braking system. "If a service facility tops off the brake fluid every time you come in for an oil change," says Burrows, "the alert system that lets you know when the pads have worn is being defeated. The only time brake fluid should be at the full level is when all braking system components are new."


In tandem with routine brake inspections, the car doctor reminds motorists to have tires rotated every 5,000 to 7,000 miles, which averages to about every other oil change. Properly functioning brakes are essential for safe and efficient driving. But for brakes to perform as designed, the tires also need to be in optimal condition. "The hydraulic force of the brake system stops the wheels," Burrows explains, "but it's the friction between the tires and the road that stops the vehicle."


PTAC is "America's Neighborhood Auto Care Experts" for scheduled maintenance, service and repairs for autos, SUVs and minivans. For more than 25 years they have been the pioneers in advanced diagnostic training and development servicing over 2.5 million vehicles in 2004. PTYAC has franchised 413 state-of-the-art professional service facilities throughout the world and is a leader in educating the public on the importance of car care for personal safety and the health of the environment. (www.precisiontune.com).


Author: Leni S. Kass