Soft and squidgy feeling brakes
Spongy, squidgy or mushy brakes are just some of the terms we hear. This can be caused by a few different things.
– Air in the brake line or a damaged line can cause this as the braking system needs the hydraulic pressure to be evenly distributed.
– Old contaminated brake fluid or a lack of it could also be a cause. The brake fluid transforms the force you press on the pedal into the force to bring the car to a halt. If this is contaminated, or there isn’t enough left then you will have trouble with your brakes.
– Damaged cylinders can leak braking fluid so if you have to push your brake right to the floor, it could be because the fluid isn’t able to fully circulate the cylinders.
– Your brake calipers have to endure an incredible amount of heat that is generated when braking. This can lead to squishy brakes as well as your car pulling to one side and a high pitched squealing when braking.
Excessive noise when braking
In general, your brakes making any sort of noise are a warning that something isn’t quite right. Whether it’s grinding, thudding or squeaky brakes, none are good news!
– Usually, customers report a grinding noise (metal rubbing on metal) which can be caused by thin brake pads. If you imagine that each time you brake, a thin slice of metal is worn off your pads then you can start to understand why brake pads wear over time. A brake pad replacement is routine for us so it’s really quick and easy to do.
– The weather can increase brake noises and cold temperatures are known to make them noisy, especially if it has been raining and your pads are wet. This can cause a layer of rust to form on the brake pads but don’t worry, as soon as you start driving and braking again, the thin rust will be removed.
– If you are often driving with a car full of people or heavy loads then this will put more stress on your brakes. The heavier the load, the more effort it will take for the vehicle to stop. This isn’t an issue to worry about straight away but if you often drive with a car full you really should be getting your brakes checked more often than most.
– Sometimes, you get bits of grit, dirt and small stones stuck in between the caliper and pad. As the brakes are applied the stone is squished onto the pad and can cause noise. Just like your eyes when an eyelash falls in, the brakes will push out the stone so the noise shouldn’t last for long.