A Guide To Brakes For New Drivers

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New drivers will have a lot of things to learn with regards to driving and taking care of their car, including auto parts. One of the main areas of concern that they should learn all about is the braking system. It is a very important system that is actually easy for even a beginning driver to properly maintain and to spot problems in, so they can have issues taken care of right away. Here is an easy-to-follow guide for brakes that any new driver should read:

Brakes will usually warn you of problems: New drivers should be educated on the warnings that a car will normally give to let the driver know that they need to be replaced soon. Brake pads have sensors that will make a squeaking sound once the sensors are exposed. When things get to this point, it means the pads are thinner and need to be replaced with new ones. If you ignore the squeaking, then it might go away for a while, but this is not actually a good sign. The next thing to happen will be a grinding, and when this sound occurs, it means the brakes are dangerously thin and the problem requires immediate attention.

Brakes can get air in the line: This may be a problem that a beginning driver may not immediately recognize. When air gets in the brake line, it can make the car harder to stop; the driver will have to press down on the brake pedal with more force. When there is air in the brake line, the car should be taken in to the mechanic. They will adjust the line and have someone else repeatedly step on the brake pedal to work the air bubble out of the system. Once the air bubble is out, they will tighten the line again and the brakes will go back to working how they are supposed to.

Watch the brake fluid: If you find that it's getting harder to stop the car because you have to press with more pressure on the brakes, you can check the fluid before assuming it is air in the line. Check the amount of brake fluid to verify that it is still over the low line and under the full line. If you are suddenly very low on brake fluid, there may be a leak that you want to have checked out by a mechanic. If it has been a very long time since the fluids have been checked, then the brake fluid may be low from neglect. You don't want to make a habit of allowing this to happen because it is bad on the system.


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