Brake system components slowly wear out like all other mechanical systems and eventually need replacement. As your Acura dealer, we’d like you to know a few warning signs that you need to visit us for a brake service.
Signs You Need a Brake Service at Your Acura Dealer
Burning Chemical Smell
Brake fluid provides the hydraulic power that allows your brakes to work speedily and efficiently. The fluid is highly pressurized, and pressure generates heat. The fluid is heat resistant but gradually loses this resistance over time. Overheating brake fluid produces a strong chemical smell, which is easily detectable. If you smell anything strange when you hit the brakes, it’s time to visit us for a brake check.
Overheating brake fluid is dangerous, as it can’t generate hydraulic power, and your braking system will fail. If your brakes are overheating, we advise pulling over as soon as it’s safe to do so and contact us immediately. We’ll examine the fluid and fix the cause of the overheating or replace the fluid.
Illuminated Brake Light
There are two brake lights on your dash. One is for the ABS, and the other represents the rest of the braking system. If either of these lights illuminate, something is wrong and needs investigation. The ABS prevents your wheels from locking if your Acura skids on a wet or muddy surface and enables you to safely correct the skid and avoid an accident.
The brake warning light can light up for many reasons, including a brake fluid leak, mechanical problems, or a still active handbrake. All the braking system components have sensors connected to them, and these sensors will warn of any issue with their connected component. Our technicians will connect your Acura to our diagnostic system to identify the problem, and then we’ll repair it.
Pulling to One Side
When you apply the brakes, the brake calipers close on both sides of each rotor. The brake pads inside the calipers produce friction against the rotors, which brings the rotors to a halt. If you feel your Acura pulling to one side when you brake, this is a sign something is wrong. The calipers should all engage simultaneously, and the pulling action means one of the calipers isn’t working.
The fault could be due to a blockage in the brake hose leading to the affected caliper, or the caliper may have jammed. We’ll need to investigate to determine the exact cause. If the caliper is damaged, we can easily replace it. A blockage in the hose is easy to correct, as we’ll bleed your brake to remove air bubbles or flush the system to remove any other blockage.
If you experience any issues with your brakes, contact us at Open Road Acura of Wayne in Wayne, NJ.
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