Spring Brake Maintenance, Service, and Repair

Springtime is a great time to have your vehicle’s brakes checked out. In most areas, the weather is warming up and drying out, so issues with your brakes often make themselves known now. Winters can be brutal on your whole braking system, with snow, ice, and road salt causing wear, rust, and corrosion on the components. Even excessive rainfall can affect your brakes. Slippery roads can require additional braking, creating more wear on your brake fluid, brake pads, and rotors. Now is the time to schedule your springtime brake maintenance and brake repairs.

Routine Auto & Brake Maintenance

With all the miles we put on our vehicles during the summer, spring is the perfect time to schedule your routine auto maintenance. Have an oil change, plus check out the basics:

• Fluids & Filters
• Tires
• Wipers
• Lights & Fuses
• Hoses, Belts & Gaskets
• Exterior and Undercarriage Wash
• Interior Clean & Organize

Check your owner’s manual to see if it is time for your brake maintenance service. You can piggyback services at your auto shop to save yourself time and money. Most auto manufacturers recommend having your brakes inspected and serviced every 5,000-7,000 miles or 4-6 months (whichever comes first).

Brake Maintenance Service

A brake service will include inspecting the braking components and cleaning and lubricating when necessary. The primary purpose of a brake service is to check that all the parts are working correctly and the vehicle is safe to drive (and stop). Excessive wear or damage to any of the braking system components will require service or replacement of those components. Sometimes, a technician can repair worn brake parts; sometimes, they must replace them. A qualified service technician can guide you through the available options.

Braking System Components

Brake Fluid

The brake fluid is the moving force behind your vehicle’s braking system. The pressurized fluid pushes through the brake lines, making all the components move correctly. If the brake fluid is low, check for leaks. If no leaks are apparent, the brake pads may need replacing, or the brake fluid may be near the end of its life. Brake fluid is a consumable item. Factors like driving habits, heat, and humidity can impact how often the fluid needs to be topped off and changed.

Brake Fluid Flush

Brake fluid that has reached the end of its life can become acidic and corrosive, affecting the other components in your brake assembly. Schedule a brake service to flush out your old brake fluid and replace it with fresh fluid to avoid expensive future repairs.

Brake Pads

Brake pads are a consumable component that wears down through friction every time you use the brakes. Once they wear down, they need replacing. Some brake pads make a squealing sound once they wear down enough to need replacing. Pay attention to that sound. If it progresses enough to make a grinding noise, you have waited too long, and now your brake pads are too thin, grinding metal on metal.

Calipers

The calipers are hydraulically driven pistons and clamps that squeeze the brake pads against the rotors when you press the brake pedal. This pressure and friction causes your vehicle to slow down and stop. The calipers (and pistons) are subject to rust, corrosion, and road debris, which can cause them to stick open or closed. Once this happens, it can change how well your brakes respond and often damage your brake pads and rotors.

Rotors

The rotors are a spinning metal disc behind your wheel that the brake pads compress via the calipers to stop your vehicle. If the brake pads are not changed often enough, the rotors can get warped, scratched, or otherwise damaged, requiring resurfacing. They can also accumulate rust and road debris, which needs regular cleaning. 

Brake Maintenance, Service, and Repairs in Kirkland, WA

Since 1979, Fisher’s Auto Service has offered high-quality brake maintenance, service, and repairs that follow the manufacturer’s recommendations in your owner’s manual. We specialize in German, Volvo, Japanese, and American SUV, truck, and car models.

Schedule A Service

Don’t guess about your brake safety and endanger yourself or others. Visit Fisher’s Auto Service for a free brake repair inspection. Call us anytime at (425) 441-3601 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.