While traveling down a three-lane road at 55 miles an hour and spot a line of vehicles at a red stoplight up ahead. Even as you read that, you imagine lifting your right foot from the gas pedal and resting it on the brake to begin slowing to a stop. Your foot presses the brake. The weight of the pressure doesn’t greet you. The pedal meets the floor and still the speedometer reads over 50 MPH. The light ahead hasn’t changed.
What happens if your brakes don’t stop the car, even just once?
We trust our vehicles to get us safely around throughout the day. As vehicle owners, we typically don’t question how automotive systems, such as brakes, work. You press the pedal, the car stops. Simple. Let’s keep it that way.
The Top Three Brake System Killers
Moisture and Heat
Every time you press the brake pedal, the high friction causes high heat. Heat causes brake fluid to expand. When the fluid cools, it contracts which draws in outside air – bringing moisture into your system. This causes issues because brake fluid is attracted to water on a molecular level (hygroscopic). With an increase of moisture, the boiling point decreases and if your brake fluid cannot tolerate the high heat, it’s less likely to continue protecting your braking components.
Corrosion
Copper, being susceptible to corrosion, breaks down when exposed to oxygen. Because vehicle brake lines contain copper, the additives in brake fluid protect against corrosion for a matter of time. Driving conditions and extreme temperatures break these additives down and over time the small amounts of moisture and air entering the brake system cause this copper to corrode, consequently contaminating brake fluid.
Time
Every time you press the pedal, your brakes are exposed to heat and moisture. The additives in your brake fluid, once exposed to the moisture and oxygen, begin to break down- and this all happens over time.
Does Brake Fluid need to be changed?
The three brake killers kill your brake fluid slowly. This fluid needs to be changed to keep your brakes braking. Anti-lock braking system are no exception to this rule.
Your brake system works hard to keep you safe. And it’s a tough job, stopping two tons on a dime. If you notice your brake pressure is lacking, your vehicle is slower to stop than usual or if it’s been more than two years since you’ve had the brake fluid replaced, call our experts at Global Automotive to have your braking system inspected. If during the fluid check we spot impurities, then we may recommend replacing the fluid – or in rare occasions, a brake flush.
Global Auto’s experts trust BG Products, the highest quality automotive products on the market. We take care of your vehicle’s brakes, so your vehicle can be trusted to take care of you.
