When Are Squeaky Brakes Serious?
Squeaky brakes are one of the most common automotive problems and arguably one of the most annoying. When you discover that your brakes are squeaking, your first thought is probably that your brakes are going out. But is that always the case? Not necessarily. Let's explore a few reasons why brakes might squeak.
Causes of Squeaky Brakes
There are other reasons for squeaky brakes besides failing brake pads. Dust, dirt, and moisture infiltrating your brake system can cause your brakes to squeak. For example, if your car sits outside overnight, it might develop a layer of moisture in the brake system. You might hear squeaking until the moisture goes away. Hard and semi-metallic brake pads might squeak in normal conditions as well. If your brakes heat up due to driving down a long grade or hauling a heavy load, they might squeak. If you often hit your brake pedal hard, it can cause squeaking from heat due to strain.
One clue is to listen to what kind of squeaking sound your brakes are making. You might hear soft, occasional squeaking, a shrill, high-pitched note, consistent squealing, or a sound like sheet metal ripping. The last sound listed is the one that will grab your attention and it should.
Rotor Rust
Another possible cause of squeaking when you step on the brake pedal is a rusted rotor. Only vehicles with disc brakes have rotors, which these days are most cars. Rotors lose their smoothness over time and may need to be turned or resurfaced. The squeaking sound comes from rust or non-smooth surfaces contacting your brake pads.
Failing Brake Pads
This is the cause of squeaky brakes that most people are worried about when they hear noise coming from their brakes. First, it's important to know that failing brake pads are only a possible cause if your car has disc brakes. However, most modern cars have at least front disc brakes. In order to get the squealing sound, your brake pads have to be seriously worn down.
Modern pads have a safety built in to warn drivers when they need to be replaced. This safety is a piece of metal that rubs against the brake disc and causes a squealing sound when the brakes are used. It only does this when the pad material has worn down far enough to expose it. If you ignore this sound, the next sound you'll hear will be the ripping sheet metal, which is the sound of your rotors scraping on the metal backing plates. If you continue to drive like this, you risk damaging your rotors and being unable to stop properly.
In order to prevent damage to your brake system, you should generally take your car in for a check-up if you hear a squealing sound every time you step on the brake pedal.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Friday, May 8, 2015
How to Troubleshoot Your Car
For the DIY mechanic, there is perhaps no more important step in fixing a vehicle than the troubleshooting process. You want to find out what is wrong with your car in an expedient manner without wasting a lot of time and energy. Typically, the DIY mechanic also does not want to spend unnecessary money either. The keys to troubleshooting a car are paying attention to the symptoms and the process of elimination.
Symptom Checker
The very first step to troubleshooting a vehicle is to pay attention to the symptoms it is exhibiting. How does it feel, smell, look and sound? To aid you in this process of checking symptoms, there are various tools online, such as on AutoZone, that have symptom checkers similar to a medical site like WebMD. These can be very helpful in narrowing down issues. For example, suppose your car is stumbling upon acceleration. That is a feel issue, as you can feel it stumble when you depress the gas pedal. You know it's related to something in the engine compartment. Upon checking this symptom, you will find a range of parts that might be at fault.
Begin with the Easiest, Cheapest Fix
The next step is to determine which part is the easiest and cheapest to fix. For example, in the previous problem, you have figured out that a range of parts related to spark could be at fault. This usually includes spark plugs, wires, the distributor, the distributor cap, and the rotor. Of these, the plugs and distributor are the most expensive fixes. The least expensive are usually the rotor, wires and sometimes the cap. Some vehicles require a cap that includes wires, and that part is more expensive.
Process of Elimination
Now that you've made a list of possible culprits and know which ones are the easiest and cheapest to fix, it's time to begin the process of elimination. Check the cheapest parts first and replace them if necessary. After each replacement, drive the vehicle and wait for the problem to reveal itself again. If the problem persists, then move to the next cheapest and easiest part. Continue until you have found and corrected the problem.
In the aforementioned real-life example of a 1993 Toyota Celica, the mechanic replaced the cap and rotor first as those were the cheapest. The rotor showed signs of wear and the cap was cracked. However, neither of these replacements fixed the problem. The next step was the spark plug wires, which were relatively inexpensive in this car's case. The spark plugs were checked as a precaution but did not show signs of needing replacement. It turned out instead that the wires were indeed the culprit and the acceleration problem disappeared. Case closed.
Symptom Checker
The very first step to troubleshooting a vehicle is to pay attention to the symptoms it is exhibiting. How does it feel, smell, look and sound? To aid you in this process of checking symptoms, there are various tools online, such as on AutoZone, that have symptom checkers similar to a medical site like WebMD. These can be very helpful in narrowing down issues. For example, suppose your car is stumbling upon acceleration. That is a feel issue, as you can feel it stumble when you depress the gas pedal. You know it's related to something in the engine compartment. Upon checking this symptom, you will find a range of parts that might be at fault.
Begin with the Easiest, Cheapest Fix
The next step is to determine which part is the easiest and cheapest to fix. For example, in the previous problem, you have figured out that a range of parts related to spark could be at fault. This usually includes spark plugs, wires, the distributor, the distributor cap, and the rotor. Of these, the plugs and distributor are the most expensive fixes. The least expensive are usually the rotor, wires and sometimes the cap. Some vehicles require a cap that includes wires, and that part is more expensive.
Process of Elimination
Now that you've made a list of possible culprits and know which ones are the easiest and cheapest to fix, it's time to begin the process of elimination. Check the cheapest parts first and replace them if necessary. After each replacement, drive the vehicle and wait for the problem to reveal itself again. If the problem persists, then move to the next cheapest and easiest part. Continue until you have found and corrected the problem.
In the aforementioned real-life example of a 1993 Toyota Celica, the mechanic replaced the cap and rotor first as those were the cheapest. The rotor showed signs of wear and the cap was cracked. However, neither of these replacements fixed the problem. The next step was the spark plug wires, which were relatively inexpensive in this car's case. The spark plugs were checked as a precaution but did not show signs of needing replacement. It turned out instead that the wires were indeed the culprit and the acceleration problem disappeared. Case closed.
Friday, April 10, 2015
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