Brake Repair & Service
in Rockville, MD
in Rockville, MD
Your vehicle’s brakes are one of the most critical safety features. Keeping them maintained prevents accidents and ensures you have a smooth driving experience. Brake maintenance also saves you money in the long run – if you allow the brake pads to get too low, they can score the rotors so badly that they can’t be machined. If the brake pads are allowed to get too low, they can cause the calipers to overextend and the brake hoses to collapse. MB Automotive in Rockville, MD, a European auto repair shop, provides brake service & repair for German and British vehicles.
Signs You need Brake Repair
Common Brake Problems
In most cases, your vehicle’s brakes will warn you when it’s time to replace the brake pads. The backing plate on each pad has a metal tab that sticks up alongside the edge of the brake pad. When the pad wears enough so that it’s even with the metal tab, you’ll hear a squeaking or squealing noise when you step on the brakes. That is the metal tab rubbing the rotor.
If you allow it to continue, the tab scores the rotor so much that machining it far enough to get the groove out makes the rotor too thin. If you ignore the noise, the backing pad, which is also metal, starts scraping the rotor. At this point, the pad is so low that it can cause the caliper to overextend and the brake hoses to collapse. Other signs of brake problems include:
Vibrations
If you feel a vibration or pulsation in the brake pedal while applying the brakes, you may have warped rotors. In some cases, rotors can warp if they get too thin. They can also warp if you overheat them. While overheating can happen if you use the brakes too much on a steep hill, it’s more common for them to overheat when a caliper sticks, holding the pads against the rotor.
Soft or Spongy Brake Pedal
If you notice that the brake pedal feels soft or spongy, you most likely have a leak somewhere in the brake system. Brake lines, hoses, calipers and the master cylinder can leak. The lines coming from the ABS can also leak.
Grinding
When you hear grinding, you are hearing the metal backing plate behind the brake pads scraping the rotor. You will have to replace the pads and the rotors at this point. The brakes are no longer safe.
