The Rain and Your Brakes

Water on the roads isn’t good for anybody, and it really causes havoc with the ability to stop your car.  Inevitably, you’re going to drive through a puddle, and that’s likely to splash water up into your brakes.  A light tap a few times afterwards will actually help dry the brake pads to help you stop better the next time.

Got your cruise control on?  Turn it off!  Cruise control works on how fast it “thinks” the car is going. If you happen to hydroplane with cruise control on, those wheels will start spinning crazy-fast and you could have some big troubles once the tires make contact with the road again.

Lastly, if you hear some temporary squealing in your brakes after it rains that could be a couple of things.  Sometimes a little harmless rust forms on the surface rotors and makes noise until it gets knocked way, or trapped water in little grooves heats up and actually whistles like a tea pot as it steams away.  If the squealing lasts more than a minute or two, you might have something completely different going on and you may need to bring your car in for a complete check.

Beyond that, all the other safe driving rules apply:  Don’t drive through standing water, slow down during rain, and bring an umbrella.  You don’t want your hair all mussed up, do you?

Brake fluid, Unicorns, and Other Myths

The brake fluid is low… so just add some more, right?  We get that a lot at U.S. Automotive, but unfortunately brake fluid isn’t the same as coolant or even your oil.  If your brake fluid is low, something might be wrong. 

 

Topping off your Brake Fluid could mask larger issues

Here’s what’s going on:  As your brakes start to wear down, more fluid is needed to fill the caliper space.  You don’t need to know all those details, but you do need to know that just “topping off” the brake fluid could end up masking something important.

Brake fluid is actually helping the hydraulics in your system apply pressure to the brakes.  It’s a good idea to flush and change the brake fluid every couple of years, but it’s not always a good idea to just add some extra just so your little light goes off. 

If you do add some, it’s always important to release the old stuff when you have any work done on your brakes.  It’s the kind of thing that could make the difference between a nice parking job, and driving through the window of the flower shop.  As always, if you think something just doesn’t seem right, bring it on in and we’ll be happyto take a look.

Here’s to safe driving!