Brake Problems in Cars – Reasons and Ways to Fix

When it comes to brakes, there is no excuse for driving with any, even minor, problem. Braking is the most important capability of your vehicle for your safety. If there are any issues and proper braking is not guaranteed, driving your car is not legal and not actually wise at all.

So, in this article, I will tell you about brake problems in modern vehicles that are very common and may happen to your car. I will give you links to various articles that we've written with the team and you will be able to investigate more.

Common brake problems

I've written dozens of articles about brakes and the majority of them will be listed below, in various sections. But I should tell you that diagnosing and repairing brakes is not a DIY task at all. Only a good mechanic should approach the brakes in your vehicle.

So, the problems with brake boosters are pretty common and not that cheap to solve. The second common issue is the leaking cylinder. The braking system has a master cylinder, a slave cylinder, and also separate cylinders near each wheel. Each of them may start leaking. Sometimes, air in brake lines will show the same symptoms.

Very often, drivers tell us about various sounds connected with pressing the brake pedal. But those may mean almost anything.

But I should say that ghost problems are also common. It's when the car applies brakes on its own. You may feel that the vehicle is slowing down without you pressing brakes. This situation requires proper inspection. It's impossible to say why this happens without investigating the issue properly.

Common brake problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:super-urgent
• DIY diagnostics:possible but not recommended
• DIY repairs:impossible
• Price for repair:$150 - $450
• Common symptoms:issues with braking, car brakes on its own, brakes are inefficient, sounds when braking
• Commonreasons:fluid issues, caliper problems, cylinders problems, brake booster issues
• If ignored:no brakes, accidents, dangerous situations

Brake fluid problems

Your braking system works thanks to the fluid in it. The fluid is capable of withstanding abnormal pressure and it's the fluid that pushes the brake pads towards the rotor or drum.

Funny enough, the common problems with fluid aren't connected with the braking systems. People keep asking what to do if the brake fluid gets into their eyes or if they accidentally poured the fluid all over their car paint.

Among common brake system problems connected with the fluid, I will name brake line leaking. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation and people keep repairing the leaks with special tapes that they buy in bad shops from bad sellers. Those tapes are extremely dangerous and won't help you repair the brake line!

You may understand that the fluid is low when you feel your brake pedal going to the floor and creating no resistance.

Another serious issue is the air in brake lines. Usually, this happens after changing the brake fluid. You will need to know how to pump brakes correctly to make sure there is no air in the lines. Otherwise, the brakes will not work efficiently.

Brake fluid problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:super-urgent
• DIY diagnostics:usually,impossible
• DIY repairs:impossible
• Price for repair:$250 - $650
• Common symptoms:pedal goes to the floor, braking efficiency low, leaks
• Commonreasons:brake lines leaking, low fluid,badfluid
• If ignored:no brakes, getting into accidents, poor safety when driving

Brake caliper problems

Calipers hold brake pads and press them to the brake rotor when needed. Calipers are pretty vulnerable, so they form a lot of common problems with brakes in many high-mileage cars.

Sometimes, they may get stuck intermittently and your brakes will work one day and lock up on another day. Or they may just get stuck and you may not be able to deal with this without professional help. Driving in this condition is, of course, impossible.

Also, calipers may make special noises that make it easier to recognize the problem. When one of the pads is slightly touching the rotor, you may hear the noise that may disappear after hitting the brake pedal slightly.

Actually, you shouldn't drive with a seized caliper as it's dangerous for the entire braking system. It may just stop working and you may get into trouble.

Brake caliper problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:super-urgent
• DIY diagnostics:impossible
• DIY repairs:impossible
• Price for repair:$300 - $600
• Common symptoms:noise when driving, bad braking, locked-up wheels
• Commonreasons:old caliper, physical damage
• If ignored:locked wheels, dangerous driving, accidents

Brake pads problems

Brake pads should be replaced once their effective working surface is worn out. You better replace them before they are completely worn out. Otherwise, bad pads will also damage the rotor. When you hear the dragging sound or something when braking, it's too late and the pads should've been replaced earlier.

Sometimes, various factors may lead to extensive wear of the pads. For example, if they partially touch the disc or drum, they will heat up and destroy quickly. They may easily lose their linings and will warp the surface of the rotor or drum.

Many drivers believe the problems come from contamination of the discs or pads, so they tend to clean them all the time. But that's not the case here, you shouldn't use a lot of chemicals to clean your brakes.

Brakes may develop problems after sitting for a long time. Usually, you will just need to drive for some time. But if the brake is locked, you will first need to unlock it somehow.

Also, a lot of problems come from new pads or rotors. When you install new pads, they may be quite tight and require adjustment. If they make a scraping noise or something, this is a clear sign that you need some professional help urgently.

Brake pads problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:super-urgent
• DIY diagnostics:possible but complicated
• DIY repairs:impossible
• Price for repair:$250 - $450
• Common symptoms:sounds when braking, unintentional braking, warped rotor
• Commonreasons:bad pads, improper installation, old pads
• If ignored:rotor wear, bad brakes, damage to the system

Parking brake problems

Proper operation of the parking brake is very important for the overall safety of your vehicle. When parking on a hill, you should always apply a parking brake to avoid rolling and parking pawl damage.

If your car moves when you apply the parking brake, the system may require adjustment. It's not usually a serious problem, it can be solved in a matter of minutes.

Also, the issues with the parking brake may lead to brake pad damage. The common problem is driving with the handbrake on. Rear pads will be worn out very quickly and the rotor or drum will be seriously overheated. Of course, this can also lead to rear brakes locking.

You should know that leaving the parking brake applied for months is not a good idea. You need to find other solutions to keep your car safely parked, in this case.

If your handbrake button is stuck or the battery is dead, you need to know the way to deactivate the electronic parking brake manually. This is written in the driver's manual and should be investigated once you get the new car with the EPB system in it.

Parking brake problems highlights:

• Level of urgency:medium
• DIY diagnostics:possible but complicated
• DIY repairs:impossible
• Price for repair:$100 - $450
• Common symptoms:locked wheels, car rolling
• Commonreasons:EPB problems, rear pads issues, parking brake system problems
• If ignored:no parking brake, rolling back, dangerous situations