Remember the importance of regular checks brake system. Most drivers check their brakes when there is already a problem, hence the brake discs, pads and other components of the brake system have not been inspected in a timely manner.
Present to your attention short review major problems with the braking system:
Low brake fluid
Usually indicates a leak in the brake system, which can lead to very serious consequences. It is necessary to check the calipers, brake hoses and tubes, the main brake cylinder. If a leak is found, the defective component must be replaced with a new one. The car should not be driven until repairs have been made, as a leak can lead to complete brake failure.
Brake pedal at the bottom
This can happen on drum brakes if the adjusters are jammed to compensate for the normal wear of the working material of the pads. Adjustment may restore normal pedal level, however the problem will return as the pads wear further. It is recommended to clean the regulators well or replace them with new ones. A low brake pedal can also be caused by worn brake hoses or a brake fluid leak.
Soft or "wadded" brake pedal
This means that there are air bubbles in the brake system that got there during improper bleeding of the brakes or when the brake fluid leaked or was very low. It is necessary to bleed the brakes in the sequence that is intended for this car model. Another cause could be worn out rubber brake hoses that "inflate" when braking.
Large pedal free play
Possible causes: Worn brake hoses, improperly adjusted drum brakes, or air in the system. This symptom is quite dangerous, as the car can completely lose its brakes even before it comes to a safe stop.
The pedal falls to the floor
A very dangerous situation caused by severely worn oil seals in the brake master cylinder or a leak in the hydraulic system that prevents the brakes from holding pressure.
Brake pedal wobble
Indicates that the disk is warped and needs to be replaced or honed. The running surfaces must be flat (no more than 0.05 mm of runout) and must be parallel (within 0.0127 mm for most vehicles). Also, don't forget the wheel bearings - if they are serviceable, they need to be cleaned, checked and repacked with grease. You will also need new wheel bearing seals.
scraping noise
Usually indicates that metal is rubbing against metal and you have a serious unplanned repair of the brake system. Most likely, it will be necessary to replace the brake discs and / or drums, as well as repair or replace other parts of the brake system (hoses, caliper guides). Some disc brake pads have special metal wear indicators that make this sound. This means that the brake pads already need to be replaced.
Screeching or squeaking
Usually caused by vibration between disc pads and caliper. It is treated by replacing or turning the brake discs, installing new pads, or applying a special anti-noise compound to the rear surfaces of the pads.
rattling
Usually caused by the installation of incorrectly honed discs.
Sticky brakes
Oil, grease or brake fluid on the pads can cause the brakes to "stick". Find and eliminate the cause of contamination and replace the pads. Drums or discs with deep scratches may also seize, turning or replacing may be necessary.
Wedged brakes
May cause the vehicle to steer to one side and/or increase fuel consumption. May be caused by loose or broken springs in drum brakes, wedged rusty or worn caliper guide, wedged caliper cylinder, misadjusted drum wear compensators, or jammed or frozen handbrake cables. It is necessary to carry out a bulkhead of the calipers every 60,000 km (a signal for such a bulkhead may be uneven wear of the inner and outer pads).
Pulling the car to the side when braking
It can be caused by: pad contamination, improper brake adjustment, cylinder or entire caliper breakage, brake wedging on one side, uneven wear brake discs on the sides of the vehicle or worn wheel bearings.
Rigid ("oak") brake pedal
Insufficient vacuum boost can be caused by low manifold vacuum, a leak in the vacuum tube of the brake booster, or a defect in the booster itself. Sometimes a broken check valve will cause vacuum to leak from the brake booster and this will result in a hard brake pedal. Diagnostic procedure: bleed the vacuum from the system with the engine turned off, start the engine with the brake pedal depressed - if the pedal is “left”, then the amplifier is in order. If the pedal remains hard at the time of starting the engine, attention must be paid to the booster, booster vacuum tube and check valve.
On vehicles equipped with the Hydroboost booster system, hard pedal can result from a stretched power steering belt, low fluid levels, leaks in the hydraulic pipes, or broken valves in the Hydroboost itself.
These problems, especially brake fluid leaks, are especially critical these days as the vast majority of modern cars are equipped with ABS. This system is a complex combination of electrical and hydraulic components that cannot withstand moisture or corrosion.
Brake fluid
Brake fluid is highly hygroscopic, which means it easily absorbs water (moisture). When moisture is absorbed, the boiling point of the liquid is significantly reduced, it boils much earlier and the brake system fails. The fluid must be changed every 2 years or 60,000 km.
The braking system is one of the most important in a car. Its malfunction or incorrect operation leads to the impossibility of operating the machine. Vehicles with broken brakes are legally prohibited from driving on the roads - this is extremely dangerous. Regardless of how exactly the malfunction manifests itself on your particular car: whether the steering wheel vibrates, whether the car pulls to the side when braking, or brake fluid oozes from the hose. We've rounded up 10 sure signs of brake problems that need urgent repairs.
How brakes work
To understand what can happen to the braking system, let's first understand how it works. In all modern cars this assembly includes brake discs or drums and pads that mechanically decelerate vehicle. When you press the brake pedal, the driver mechanically moves the piston in the master brake cylinder, then the brake fluid, moving along the lines, actuates the wheel brake cylinders. Those, in turn, press the pads with a special friction compound to the discs or drums - the car begins to slow down. Also included in the system vacuum booster brakes, which minimizes the pressure on the pedal, and a brake fluid expansion tank. Many vehicles are equipped electronic system, which prevents the wheels from locking under braking, known as ABS.
10 most common problems
1. Wear brake pads
Brake pads are the most unreliable element of the brake system, requiring regular replacement. In the disc brake system, the pads work without problems on average up to 40 thousand km, after which they are replaced with new ones as a set. It has to do with the design of the part. The pad is a metal plate with an abrasive pad. The latter is erased over time from contact with the cast-iron disk, turning into dust. Often it also collapses from overheating or simply peels off from the base. A characteristic symptom of a malfunction is a decrease in the level of brake fluid in expansion tank or creaking and grinding on braking. This clearly hints that the pads need to be replaced.
2. Wear of brake discs and drums
Exactly the same applies to brake discs and drums. These parts live on average twice as long as the pads. That is, the brake disc or drum can withstand two sets of pads, after which it must be replaced with a new one. The wear limit of these parts is indicated by the manufacturer in the documentation and should not be exceeded by the consumer. For this reason, the popular service of turning brake discs can be classified as relatively honest taking money from motorists - as a rule, this is a disservice. Other signs that the discs need to be replaced are vibrations on the steering wheel when braking and a runny color of the part, indicating severe overheating. The latter leads to warping and deterioration of deceleration, and even to the impossibility of the correct operation of the ABS.
3. Leaks in the hydraulic line
One of the most dangerous breakdowns of the brakes is the depressurization of the brake line. It manifests itself quite simply: when you press the pedal, the latter goes to the floor with almost no resistance, while there is no noticeable slowdown of the car. If this happens to your vehicle, stop immediately using engine braking or the mechanical parking brake and using the utmost caution. Locate the leak and replace the damaged tube or hose, then bleed the system. Driving a car with such a malfunction is deadly!
4. Wear and jamming of the caliper guides, misalignment of the brake cylinder
The pistons of the working brake cylinders and the guide brackets of the calipers oxidize over time and can begin to wedge. This leads to deterioration of braking and its unevenness. This is manifested by the withdrawal of the car to the side when you press the brake pedal. Often, wedging leads to overheating of the discs and drums, as well as to increased wear of the brake pads. This issue has a significant security impact and needs to be resolved as soon as possible. Steering is especially dangerous in winter and in rainy weather - it can cause your car to suddenly turn around.
5. Deformation of brake discs
Brake discs are usually cast iron. And this material, as you know, does not like sudden changes in temperature. Be careful not to overheat them, especially when driving on mountain serpentines or towing a heavy trailer. It is not recommended to force fords with very hot discs - this can lead to their curvature and the need for premature replacement. We have already mentioned the symptoms of the problem - these are vibrations on the steering wheel during deceleration, an increase stopping distance and premature activation of the ABS system.
6. Weak deceleration
Poor deceleration is usually due to excessive wear on the brake pads, discs, and drums, but there are other causes as well. This may be due to overheating and boiling of the brake fluid. In this case, the performance is restored as soon as the mechanisms acquire normal temperature. Also, deterioration in braking may occur due to depressurization of the vacuum brake booster or wedging of the main brake cylinder. These parts must be replaced with new ones.
7. Smoke and burning smell from the brakes
Smoke or a strong smell coming from the brakes is a sure sign of overheating and an imminent failure of the brake system. Overheating leads to the formation of scale on the surfaces, which interferes with normal operation mechanisms. Also bad smell and smoke can occur due to contact with the brake mechanisms technical fluids and lubricants. All this requires an immediate audit and elimination of the cause of the malfunction.
8. Malfunction lamp on dashboard
The brake system malfunction icon will illuminate on the instrument panel if the brake fluid level in the expansion tank has dropped to a critically low level. Usually the problem is eliminated by topping up the fluid to a normal value, however, this may also indicate the need to replace the brake pads and discs, or even indicate leaks in the lines and hoses. A special pictogram also lights up on the tidy when the parking brake is activated.
9. Broken or kinked brake hoses
The most dangerous malfunction that requires immediate elimination. Brake hoses are made of rubber and age over time - lose elasticity, crack, stretch, break or stretch. This leads to leaks, depressurization and airing. hydraulic system, and, as a result, deterioration of deceleration or complete failure of the brakes. Inspect these parts periodically and replace them in a timely manner if any of the above symptoms occur.
10. Parking brake lever not released
Most drivers periodically forget to return the parking brake handle to its original position before starting the car. This leads to increased wear of the clutches and discs, as well as overheating of the brakes. And even to the peeling of the linings from the brake pads. In the presence of rear drum brake mechanisms a non-working parking brake indicates the need for adjustment - this means that the mechanism for automatically supplying the pads soured or broke. Deceleration on such a car will be mediocre - in fact, all the work will be taken over by the front brakes.
In my article today I want to talk about brake pedals, namely, what it should ideally be, tight or vice versa soft, how to find this middle ground?
By and large brake pedal can have multiple positions and states.
The first state is the one provided by the manufacturer, when, when you click on brake pedal there are no dips, no jerks, and no special effort is required. There are also two other driver-unpleasant pedal states that can cause driver anxiety.
This refers to the state of the pedal when it is excessively tight or, on the contrary, very soft. Both one and the second phenomenon are equally unacceptable and indicate malfunctions and the need for urgent repair of the brake system.
Hard brake pedal can be for several reasons, and they may not necessarily be associated with the traditional "sores" that are common to all brake models. However, I still propose to consider the most common of them, and I will also try to give practical advice on how to eliminate them.
2. Seizing of the valve body in the vacuum booster. It is necessary to replace the vacuum booster;
3. The diaphragm of the vacuum booster is damaged. Solved by replacing the vacuum booster;
4. Faulty vacuum booster tip. The tip needs to be replaced.
5. Seizing or failure of the check valve in the vacuum booster. To eliminate, it is necessary to replace the check valve;
6. The check valve of the vacuum booster is faulty or the tightness is broken, as a result of which fuel enters the chamber of the vacuum booster. The vacuum booster with non-return valve should be replaced;
7. Damage to the hose that connects the vacuum booster and the intake manifold, or the hose mount is loose on the fitting. It is treated by replacing the hose, or if possible, by tightening the fastening clamp. The condition of the hose should be monitored regularly, this is especially true in the cold season. As long as the hose is cold, it retains the necessary rigidity - the brakes function normally. However, after several tens of minutes of engine operation, the hose heats up and becomes more elastic. If, for example, during the inspection you did not find delamination, the throughput of the hose will decrease, which in turn can cause problems with the brake pedal.
8. The sealing rings in the working wheel cylinders are swollen, this often happens as a result of contact with their surface fuels and lubricants, or as a result of the use of poor-quality brake fluid. To correct this situation, it is necessary to repair the working brake cylinders and replace the brake fluid.
Here are a few ways to independently check the performance of a vacuum amplifier.
First of all, perform in order for a vacuum to occur in the system. After that, press the brake pedal, if the pedal is hard - this is a clear sign of a hose or booster malfunction. Then turn off the engine and wait 5-7 minutes, do not apply the brakes.
It is necessary to specify the malfunction, to do this, press the pedal. If it is still hard - most likely, the malfunction lies in the vacuum booster valve.
There is also another test. At idle engine, it is necessary to depress the brake pedal several times in order to remove the vacuum in the brake system. After that, without releasing the pedal, it is necessary to start the engine, if the pedal starts to gradually go down - the amplifier is in order.
Cause of soft brakes
A soft brake pedal, as a rule, indicates simultaneously several breakdowns in the brake system. More precisely, there are many reasons why the brake pedal can become soft. Sometimes this phenomenon is also called the failure of the brake pedal.
The brake system of Gazelle cars is two-circuit with a hydraulic drive. The first circuit includes front disc brakes, and the rear circuit consists of two drum brakes and a regulator. braking forces("witch"). Malfunctions in the brake system may occur due to the poor quality of individual components and incorrect actions of the driver when performing repair work braking system.
One of the “diseases” of the Gazelle brakes is the actuation of the brake actuator from the second roll. The culprit of this malfunction is the persistent rings of the pistons located in the rear brake cylinders. They, due to the poor quality of their manufacture, lose their elasticity during the operation of the car, as a result of which, the coupling spring of the pads shifts them together with the piston to the middle of the cylinder. In this case, the gap between the brake pads and the brake drum increases and one press on the brake pedal is not enough to ensure that the pads are pressed against the brake drum. Therefore, the driver has to press the brake pedal a second time.
If the brakes are activated only after a few presses on the brake pedal, then this will indicate that the hydraulic drive is not tight, and the place of the brake fluid flowing out of it is occupied by air. Before you start pumping the hydraulic drive, you need to find the place of the brake fluid leak and eliminate it. You need to start removing air from the system from the right rear brake cylinder, then the left rear, right front and end with the front left.
If you are not the first owner of a Gazelle car, and if air gets into hydraulic drive you can't download it at all. Then pay attention to the front brake calipers. It is possible that during the repair of the brake system, the calipers were swapped, setting the right instead of the left, and the left instead of the right. In this case, the valves with which air is removed will be located at the bottom and when pumping, it will not be possible to remove air from the caliper. To eliminate this malfunction, you will have to rearrange the calipers so that the valves are located at the top.
The brake master cylinder can also be the culprit in the failure of the brake system. You can check the correct operation of it as follows. To identify its malfunction, you will need another person who will press the brake pedal. And you, at this time, must unscrew the cap of the nutrient reservoir, where the brake fluid is located, and see if it spouts when you press the brake pedal. If so, then the brake master cylinder will need to be replaced.