Does Your Ford Need a Brake Repair?

Signs You Need a Brake Repair at Your Ford Dealer

A Bad Smell When You Brake

Smelling a hot chemical smell when you apply the brakes is a sign that your brake fluid is overheating. The brake fluid provides the hydraulic pressure that enables your braking system to operate. When you hit the brakes, the pressurized fluid is forced into the brake hoses to close the brake calipers and stop your car. The pressure in the system heats the fluid, and the fluid will get hotter the longer the brakes are engaged.

When you ride your brakes, the hot fluid may start to overheat. If this happens, you’ll smell a foul chemical smell. We advise pulling over as soon as possible and allowing the brakes to cool. If you continue to drive, the brake fluid can boil inside the brake hoses. Once the brakes have cooled, call our service department. Our technicians will investigate and find the cause of the overheating fluid.

Worn Brake Pads

The brake pads fit inside the brake calipers and generate friction against the wheel rotors. This friction slows and stops your car’s wheels. The pads have a material covering that generates friction. When you use the brakes, some of the covering will wear off. Once the material drops to 1/4″ thick, the pads need replacement.

The pad manufacturers install a warning device inside each pad. This warning device is a simple metal spike. When a pad reaches 1/4″ thickness, the spike becomes visible. The next time you use your brakes, this spike will scratch against the wheel rotor with an ear-piercing screech. The spike doesn’t damage the rotor, but it provides a noisy warning that your pads need to be changed ASAP.

Soft Brake Pedal

You expect resistance when you step on the brakes. This resistance is generated by the pressurized brake fluid. If you hit the brake and there’s little or no resistance, your braking system is in trouble. The lack of resistance means that the brake system has a low level of fluid or a blockage that’s preventing the fluid from building up pressure.

An air bubble, for example, can form in the brake hoses. If there’s an air bubble in your brake system, it will reduce the pressure in the brake system, and your brakes won’t work correctly.

If you have any problems with your brakes, call us right away at Lundgren Ford.

Tags: Ford Service, Lundgren Service Department, OEM Service
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