How Do Car Brakes Work?

Every time you commute from Matthews to Waxhaw, you depend on your car’s brake system to keep you safe. But have you ever paused to ask yourself, how do car brakes work? The Hendrick Chevrolet Monroe service pros answer this question with an in-depth look at the various components that make up the brake system. Check out the guide below to learn more!

How Does the Brake System Work?

By far, the most important safety feature in your vehicle is the brake system. There are two main types of brakes to discuss: disc brakes and drum brakes. Also worthy of discussion is the handbrake. So without further ado, let’s dive in!

How Do Car Brakes Work: Disc Brakes

Look carefully between the spokes of your wheels’ hubcaps and you’ll spot a metal disc inside. When you apply pressure to the brake pedal inside your car, it triggers a brake disc pad to the brake disc, which is what makes your car slow to a stop. It’s helpful to think of disc brakes as operating similarly to the way bicycle brakes operate.

How Do Car Brakes Work: Drum Brakes

Some cars have drum brakes on the rear wheels, which are a little different than the aforementioned disc brakes. Drum brakes are situated inside the wheel with two brake shoes which are pushed in and out by pistons. The pistons are housed in a cylinder. When you press the brake pedal, brake fluid flows into the cylinder, allowing it to push the pistons out, so the shoes can connect with the drum. All of these parts working together is what slows your car down to a full stop.

What is a Handbrake?

The handbrake is commonly known as the parking brake, or sometimes as the emergency brake. It’s operated with the lever that is situated in-between the driver seat and front passenger seat. When your vehicle is in Park, utilizing the handbrake keeps it securely stopped in place. It’s most commonly utilized when parking on an incline. The handbrake operates on its own mechanical system and is not associated with the larger brake system.

Maintaining Your Car’s Brakes

For starters, your brakes and brake pads should be inspected by a certified technician at least once yearly. Between appointments, there are a few good practices you can adopt to keep your car brakes in pristine condition:

• Be alert of visual or audible cues that something may be wrong with your brakes
• Keep an eye on not only the vehicle directly in front of you on Weddington roads, but also the traffic in front of them; if they are braking frequently without reason, try not to instinctively tap the brakes just because the driver in front of you did
• Coast to a stop rather than slamming on the brakes when you need to slow down
• Have the brake fluid checked regularly and replaced when necessary

How to Know if Your Brakes Need an Inspection

If your vehicle exhibits any of the following warning signs, bring it in for service without delay. You don’t want to take a chance on your brake system; if it were to fail, the result could be a dangerous collision.

• The Brake Service warning light is illuminated
• You hear a distinct squealing or grinding noise when you apply the brakes
• There is a fluid leak that isn’t tied to the engine oil or transmission fluid
• You detect a burning smell from your car
• When you brake suddenly, the car bounces

Schedule Brake Service in Monroe

If you have additional questions related to “how does the brake system work?” or want to have your brakes inspected, our service department can help. Schedule an appointment online to get started today, but first, make sure you’ve reviewed our ongoing service and parts specials!