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All the security systems that our car incorporates are important, but if there is one that can be decisive in avoiding an accident, and especially when it is imminent, it is the brake system. The brakes are one of the main safety systems of any vehicle, and a basic understanding of how this system works will help us interpret possible signs of failure and also make us aware of the importance of maintenance.
And it is that a maintenance of the braking system is essential to guarantee the best possible behavior of the vehicle in an emergency situation«in which, just a few centimeters, make the difference between a scare or something worse», they underline from
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(ECEC), an initiative formed by twenty of the main manufacturers of components adhered to Sernauto. In this sense, from ECEC they emphasize the importance of a frequent review of the state of the brakes and their wear is essential for a proper functioning of the system, in which both brake pads and discs must always be perfectly integrated.
Due to wear over time and moisture absorption, the boiling point of the liquid can decrease by 20% in two years. For this reason, “it is highly recommended to replace it and follow the manufacturers’ recommendations,” they point out from the initiative. And it is that a bad brake fluid can cause prolonged braking in certain circumstances. “When, for example, due to high temperatures and prolonged braking, the boiling point of the brake fluid is reached, the moisture in the liquid turns into gas. There we observe the effect that the pedal sinks and we lose much of the effectiveness of the braking, “they explain from ECEC.
In addition, in summer, when temperatures usually exceed 30ºC, the cooling capacity of the brake discs and pads is proportionally reduced; “affectation, this, which also occurs in the brake fluid, although it can work with a few degrees more”, they warn from the Sernauto initiative. Thus, with high temperatures, heat evacuation is more difficult and the discs can become deformed, raising the working temperature, which entails the risk that the brake fluid might boil and cause a vapor lock, or vapor lock, with no braking.
The symptoms of this potential serious effect are that we notice the brakes more ‘spongy’, with more travel, sinking the pedal more, to the point that later they would stop working. With all this, the brakes can suffer from overheating due to friction once morest the disc. “The result, less effective braking, and even zero”, point out from ECEC, once once more emphasizing the vital importance of the good condition of the brake system for the safety of the vehicle and its occupants. “Whenever we observe symptoms such as noises or vibrations when braking, that the brake pedal sinks, is very hard or loses braking capacity, we should subject the vehicle to a review as soon as possible,” they warn.