Brakes are one of the systems on your car that need to be repaired ASAP if they show any signs of trouble. Good brakes are essential for your safety, as they enable you to control your car’s speed. If you’re in the area of Madison, WI, you have the peace of mind that your MINI dealer can perform a brake repair. We’ve listed some signs below of brake problems that need to be fixed.
Jammed Caliper
A caliper is attached above each of your wheel rotors, and it contains a brake pad with a friction material covering. When you hit the brakes, pressurized brake fluid is forced down the hoses. This fluid causes the calipers to close on the wheel rotors. The friction material on the brake pads generates friction against the rotors that bring your car to a stop.
If you’re driving and your acceleration seems uneven, you could have a jammed caliper. Rust or damage can cause a caliper to remain partly connected to the rotor. This generates more fiction than needed and acts as a brake on the affected wheel. Your other will turn, but the wheel with the jammed caliper will exhibit noticeable resistance. Our technicians can fix this problem by replacing the damaged caliper.
Air Bubbles in the Hoses
Your braking system is a closed one, and it operates under high pressure. Air, unfortunately, can gradually get into even a closed braking system. This air will gradually build up and create one or more bubbles in the hoses. An air bubble forms a blockage in a system with pressurized liquid. This blockage will prevent brake fluid from moving beyond the blockage.
As we’ve seen, brake fluid has to force the calipers against the rotors. An air bubble in the system will prevent the fluid from moving, and the affected brake won’t engage. Our technicians can test for the presence of air in the system. If we find any, we’ll bleed the brakes to remove the air and then refill the brake fluid.
Glazed Brake Pads
Glazing occurs when your brake pad is kept in constant contact with the wheel rotor for an extensive period. Two possible causes of this are riding your brakes or a jammed caliper, as we saw above. The constant friction generated between the pad and the rotor will create a rough surface on the rotor. This friction also turns the friction material covering the brake pad smooth and glass-like.
Glazed pads don’t generate friction, which makes braking more difficult and demanding. When we replace the glazed pad, your brakes will return to normal.
If your brakes show any signs of wear, call us ASAP at MINI of Madison.
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