3 Signs Your Chevy Needs a Brake Repair

Brakes are the most important safety feature on your Chevy. When you get behind the wheel and your brakes are bad, you’re in a similar situation to a kid skateboarding down a steep road. Your brakes give you the freedom to control your speed and to stop where you want to. Since they’re so important to your safety, any brake issue needs to be checked ASAP. As your Chevy dealer, we want you to know some of the signs that you may need a brake repair.

Screeching Sounds

A loud screeching sound when you apply the brakes will scare anyone. This awful sound is a safety warning. When you use the brakes, brake fluid is forced down the brake hoses. Your car has calipers that are fit just above your wheel rotors. The hydraulic pressure from the brake fluid pushes these calipers against the wheel rotors. To prevent damage from metal-on-metal contact, your calipers have brake pads attached to them.

The brake pads have a friction material covering that helps to stop the wheel rotors faster. Each time you apply the brakes, some of this coating wears off. When the pads have reached the level that they need to be changed, a metal piece buried inside the material is revealed. This piece of metal will contact the wheel rotor the next time you brake, and you’ll hear a terrible screeching. It’s time to visit our service center for replacement pads.

Chemical Smells From the Brakes

A weird smell like burning chemicals means that your brakes are too hot. They’re signs that the brake fluid is burning. In a hot Tennessee summer, if you’re forced to brake hard repeatedly while you’re driving, your brake fluid will heat up. Under normal conditions, your brake fluid will have time to cool down before the brakes are used again.

The hot brake fluid is already under pressure, and repeated use of the brakes will cause the fluid to boil. Boiling brake fluid loses its hydraulic abilities. This is dangerous, as it will make it difficult or even impossible for your brakes to work. We advise pulling over as soon as it’s safe to do so, and then call us. Our technicians will investigate the problem.

Soft Brakes

Your brake pedal should offer resistance when you step on it. If your brakes provide very little resistance, this is a sign that something is wrong. The problem is normally a lack of pressure in the brake hoses or a damaged master cylinder. Although your brakes are part of a closed system, a small hole could let air into the hoses. The air will form a bubble, and this bubble will block the hose. This blockage reduces the pressure in the system.

Bad brakes are dangerous for you, your car, and other drivers. Most brake problems can be fixed quickly and easily. If your brakes aren’t working as they should call our service department ASAP at Champion Chevrolet.