Common Brake System Repairs
We're pretty sure that we don't need to tell you how important your brakes are to staying safe on the road. If your car isn't providing consistent, confident stopping power when you hit the brakes, you might need brake service. Whether you drive a big SUV like the new Volkswagen Atlas or a popular compact car like a VW Jetta, you'll need brake service from time to time to change out the pads and rotors. You'll also want an expert technician to evaluate the system and check for other, deeper problems.
Below, you'll learn about the four most common brake system services that we carry out in our service department. Give us a call or stop by our Houston VW service center if your brakes just aren't performing at their best.
4. Brake Fluid Bleed And Fill
The brakes on a modern car run on hydraulics, and the hydraulic brake fluid might need to be replaced in your vehicle if you experience something called "brake fade."
Brake fade is when your car's brakes come on strong at first, but you quickly lose stopping power, and your car doesn't come to a complete stop as quickly and reliably as it should. This can be caused by contaminated brake fluid boiling in the brake lines. To fix this problem, we'll bleed the old fluid from the lines, and refill the brake system with Volkswagen-approved brake fluid. You'll be stopping confidently once again.
3. Mushy/Sinking Brake Pedal Repair
You want your brake pedal to feel firm and responsive, so it fills you with confidence that you'll always be able to stop your car when you need to. If it begins to feel soft, or even falls to the floor, that's a sign that your car's braking system may have a leak. The system needs to be pressurized, and a leak will prevent pressure from building up and make the brake pedal feel mushy. To fix this problem, we'll need to find the leak and repair or replace the leaking component. This could be a ruptured brake line or a leaking brake master cylinder under the hood.
2. Brake Rotor Turning
Does your car shimmy and shudder when you press the brake? It could be because of damaged brake rotors. The surface of your brake rotors can become subtly warped from intense braking over time. They can also collect patches of brake pad material, become scratched and scored by debris that gets stuck in the brake caliper, or etched by a worn-out brake pad.
No matter what's caused your brake rotors to become damaged, we can typically repair them rather than replacing them. We'll mount your brake rotors to a brake lathe and turn them to restore a flat, even surface for your brake pads to grab onto. This should eliminate the shaking when you press the brake.
1. Routine Brake Pad And Rotor Replacement
You're probably already aware that you'll need new brake pads from time to time on your Volkswagen. Eventually, your brake rotors can also be worn so thin that they can't be turned or resurfaced, and will simply need to be replaced. These parts are considered wear items, meaning it's assumed that they'll eventually wear out and need to be swapped out for new ones. It's just part of owning a car.
Since everyone encounters different driving conditions and has their own driving style, it's difficult to estimate just how long your brake rotors and pads will last. On average, a set of modern brake pads should last about 50,000 miles, and a set of brake rotors will last twice as long or more. But, if you encounter a lot of stop-and-go traffic and steep downhill grades, you might need brake pads more often; if you commute on the highway and don't drive too hard, your pads may last longer.
To find out what kind of shape your brake system is in, just swing by our service department for a multi-point inspection by our VW-certified service team!