Over time, your car is going to experience some wear and tear, which is why it is important to maintain your vehicle as much as possible. One of the most common problems that you could encounter is your brakes. There are some common car brake problems in NOLA that you are going to have to make sure to look out for.
1.Brake Light Comes On
One of the first things that you are going to have to look at is the brake light. That could be the number one sign that you could look for in case of any brake problems that you may have on your car. When these lights are on, then it is a sign that you are going to have to get your brakes checked as soon as possible because there is a serious problem there.
You are going to see this light the moment you start your car and the lights on your dash come to life. If you notice that the brake lights on your dash are lit, most of the time it may be because you have your handbrake up, which is normal. But if it’s still lighting up despite the handbrake being down, then there is a problem. Get your brakes inspected.
2.Burning Smell When Braking
Smelling this nasty burning smell is obviously not normal, so when you smell this while you are applying the brakes, then there is a big chance that your braking fluid is overheating. This usually happens when you are using your breaks a lot, especially when you are driving in the mountains or when you are always driving downhill.
You are going to have to pull over and let your brakes cool down when you start smelling this, usually, this would be enough and you would not have to worry again. But you could try and lay off using the brakes all the time so that you could prevent it from happening once again.
3.Car Pulls To One Side When Braking
When you notice that you are slightly pulling on one side when you are pressing on the brakes, then there is something wrong and it is usually because of the calipers.
Calipers are parts of your car that are responsible for the pressure that would slow or stop your car. So when it is turning to one side, there is a big chance that there is uneven pressure that is being applied by your calipers.
You are going to have to go to a professional because they are the people who would be able to determine whether the problem is really the calipers and they would be able to fix it before it becomes worse.
4.Screeching, Screaming, Or Squealing Brakes
If you noticed that there are some new noises that you are hearing, like screeching, screaming, or squealing when you press on your brakes, then that is a big sign that there is something wrong, there are these metallic indicators that are there to tell you when you need to check on your brakes, that is usually why you hear those noises.
There is a chance that the noise is coming from a stuck piece of stone if you hear some grinding noise, and if there is squealing, that means you are going to need to replace your brake pads. Either way, if there are some unusual and alarming sounds, then you have to get it checked by a professional.
5.Soft Brake Pedal
When you notice that your brake pedals feel weird like it feels soft or squishy, then that means there is little resistance with the spring and it is a sign that there is something wrong with your brake pedal. Another thing you have to look at is that the pedal then goes all the way down to the floor when you press on it, you should immediately stop the car and get it checked.
There is most likely a leak on the master cylinder if this happens, so you should check on that first when you notice this happening, but there could also be other causes for this. But get it checked nonetheless.
6.Vibrating Brake Pedal Or Steering Wheel When Braking
Last but not least, a common brake problem that you may encounter when you have a vehicle is when the brake pedal vibrates or when the steering wheel is vibrating when you are pressing on the brakes. This is usually because of the deformation or defects of your rotors.
These are the usual signs that you are going to have to look out for to make sure that your brakes are working fine, but you do not have to wait until you observe these signs before going to a mechanic. You have to make sure that you go with a competent mechanic at the earliest chance possible to help catch any problem easily and avoid having to spend much more than you need to.
