Brakes Archives - Oldsmar Automotive

What is My Braking System?

November 12, 2020 By Oldsmar Automotive Leave a Comment

auto repair brake job - new brakes, braking system

Your braking system is made up of many elements, most of which require regular inspections and occasional replacing. Depending on the make and model of your car, your braking system may include slightly different elements. If you’re not familiar with the components of your braking system and how often they should be replaced, keep reading.

Braking System Components

Braking systems all have similar components, but where they are and what they’re made from varies based on the car. When your mechanic says you need a brake job, they likely don’t mean the whole system needs replacing. A good mechanic will only replace the parts of your braking system that needs are worn.

Because each element of your brakes wear differently, some may need to be replaced sooner than others (and some should never ideally need to be replaced). Here is an idea of the various parts and frequency that replacement occurs.

Brake pads are generally the first element that requires replacing as may last between 25,000 and 65,000 miles However, that depends whether you have a soft or hard pad and how you drive.
Rotors or discs last about the same as brake pads. Cars with disc brakes have rotors or discs and cars with a drum brakes have drums which will last longer than discs, up to 100,000 miles.
Calipers hold the brake pads, pistons and fluids. Unless your car sits unused for long periods of time, they don’t often need replacing. Your mechanic should check your calipers during any brake job and you should have them checked during periodic maintenance.
Pistons create friction on the on the rotors/discs as they press the brake pads against them. When you have a brake fluid leak, the pistons are often the culprit and will need replacing.
Brake lines shouldn’t need to be repaired as long as you own your car as the majority of the line is made of steel. The small rubber portion sometimes has an issue which then requires the entire line to be replaced.

Oldsmar Automotive Replaces Brake Parts

You can trust our ASE certified mechanics to replace only the parts of your braking system which need replacing. We use quality parts that are fully compatible with your vehicle for your safety. If you haven’t had your brakes inspected in the past six months or notice any signs that you need new brakes, come by our facility at 3166 Tampa Road in Oldsmar or call us at (727) 784-3501 to schedule an appointment.

How to Increase Your Car’s Brake Life

October 29, 2020 By Oldsmar Automotive Leave a Comment

We never recommend ignoring signs that you need new brakes. Sounds like grinding or squealing while braking are signs you likely need a brake job now. However, if you want your brakes to last as long as they’re designed to, we have some tips that can help.

Proper Braking

If it’s been a few years since you took driver’s education or you’re actually old enough to have driven cars without power-assisted braking, you may not know the right way to use your brakes. First, and we can’t stress this enough, if you have an automatic transmission vehicle, you should only be using one foot to drive. Using both feet increases the chance that you’re unknowingly riding your brake as you’re accelerating. This wears down your brakes and ruins your gas mileage.

A great way to think about braking (in non-emergency situations) is that there is an egg between your foot and the brake petal. Depressing gently and smoothly allows the brake system to engage properly. There’s a lot going on when you engage your brakes – here’s a short video explanation of one type of power-assisted brakes.

Regular Maintenance

As you add up the miles on your car, your brakes age. Depending on the type of driving you do, you may need new brakes after 25,000 miles if you do a lot of city driving where you stop frequently or you may be able to go 50 – 70,000 miles before it’s time for new ones. However, proper maintenance is key. Make sure your brake fluid is clean and at the proper level. As you get closer to needing to replace your brakes, have your mechanic check your brake pads and rotors and replace them when recommended.

Empty Your Car

If your trunk or truck bed is full of non-essentials, take them out. With every added pound in your vehicle, you increase the work your braking system does. You may not think there’s much in your car as far as added weight, but you may be surprised once you clean it out at all the non-essentials you’ve been hauling around.

Oldsmar Automotive can help with brake fluid flush and new brakes. Stop by our facility at 3166 Oldsmar Road for an inspection and quote for new brakes or a brake fluid flush. If you know you need any of our services, call us for an appointment at (727) 784-3501.

Fluid Focus – Brake Fluid

July 14, 2020 By Oldsmar Automotive Leave a Comment

We can all agree that one of the most important features of our cars are our brakes. Without good functioning brakes we end up in an accident. Most of us think first about the brake pads and then the drums. Few think about their brake fluid. However, it is an integral part of our car’s braking system.

What Does it Do?

It is a hydraulic fluid that transmits the pressure you apply to the brake pedal to the brakes themselves. It travels through pistons, hoses and lines under pressure and often at a high temperature. When it’s older or deteriorating, it can’t stop your car as it should.

Differences in Brake Fluids

If you’ve ever been in an automotive store and looked at brake fluid, you may have noticed that there are different types. The ratings are referred to as DOT ratings for Department of Transportation. There are three fluids available DOT 3, DOT 4 and DOT 5.1. Your owners manual will tell you what the right fluid for your car is, however, they are backward compatible. That means if your car says it takes DOT 3 fluid, you can put 4 or 5.1 in, however, you can’t put 3 in a car that says it needs DOT 5.1. The label corresponds to its tolerance to heat – the higher the number, the more heat resistant.

Brake Fluid Maintenance

One of the easiest things you can do to keep your car’s braking system in good working order is to check your brake fluid level. Just like many other fluids, there is a reservoir in your car that you can look at and check its level. When it is low, you need to check your car’s manual and add the right type of fluid. However, there comes a point when it’s time to flush your braking system. This is because brake fluid both absorbs water and deteriorates over time and that makes it less effective.

One of the most common questions we have is how often your car needs the brake fluid flushed and replaced. That depends on the car. Some recommend 2 years/20,000 miles although more often it’s 45,000 miles or every three years, whichever comes first. If you’re concerned about your car’s brake system, come to Oldsmar Automotive for a check. We’ll let you know if you need a flush, new pads or something more. Call us at (727) 784-3501 to schedule an appointment or stop by 3166 Tampa Road in Oldsmar with your questions.

Don’t Neglect Your Delivery Vehicles

May 28, 2020 By Oldsmar Automotive Leave a Comment

During this time of social distancing and take out only services, we’ve noticed many more business vehicles on the road. This many be a new or growth area for you. We want to remind you that the more you drive the vehicle, the more frequent the need for maintenance. Here are some things you should check on and if it’s time, schedule the service.

Tire Rotation

If you’re use to delivering a few times a week and now your company vehicle is being used every day, multiple times a day, you’re putting more miles on your tires. One way to help them last is with regular tire rotation. We know you like need the vehicle and if you call us to schedule a tire rotation, we’ll get you in on time, get the tires rotated and have you back out on the road when promised.

Oil Change

You may be use to changing the oil every three to four months as the sticker advises, but are you also paying attention to the mileage. Short trips (less than 10 miles) and frequent turning on and off the engine can lead to a need for more frequent oil changes, even if the manual recommends 5,000 – 7,500 miles. Check the dipstick for oil levels and its appearance. If you’re in doubt call us for an oil change. We’ll help you understand how frequently, based on the vehicle and driving patterns, you should be scheduling your oil changes.

Brakes

Brakes are susceptible to wear and tear just like the rest of your car, truck or van. If you’re not the one driving it, you may not realize that they aren’t stopping the car like they once did. We advise having your brakes checked about every six months or when your tires are rotated. Because you may have different people driving the vehicle, they may not mention that the brakes are squeaking or may not realize that the stopping distance isn’t what it once was. It’s never good advertising to be involved in an accident because of brake failure.

Oldsmar Automotive can help you keep your delivery vehicle in good mechanical condition. We’re here for minor services like an oil change or tire rotation and bigger needs from transmission fluid flushes and brake replacement. We only use quality parts and our ASE mechanics do the job as your vehicle’s manufacturer recommends. Call us today to schedule your maintenance appointment – (727) 784-3501. We’re conveniently located at 3166 Tampa Road in Oldsmar.

Thing You May Not Know About Your Parking Brake

April 15, 2020 By Oldsmar Automotive Leave a Comment

The parking brake is one of the most overlooked tools in your car, especially to Floridians. We don’t have many hills and too often people think the purpose of your parking brake, also known as the emergency brake, is to hold your car on a hill when parked. Nothing could be further from accurate.

Use it Every Time You Park

Do you remember in driver’s education you were taught to apply parking brake and shift into park? That’s the proper order of application and when you do this, it can help your transmission last longer. Your parking brake can reduce stress on the transmission and keep your car exactly where you left it in the event of an issue within it.

Public parking lots and when parallel parking are two places you should always use your parking brake because the chances of your car being bumped by a careless driver is much higher than at home. When you apply your parking brake and that happens, there is less stress to the transmission and other components.

Parking/Emergency Brakes Can Deteriorate

This happens most often when they’re not used. Using your emergency brake regularly keeps them from rusting. Since too many of us use it so rarely, in the event you’re unable to stop your car and actually need to use it to stop it, it may not work. However, if you’re not use to using it and now realize it’s a good idea, don’t drive with it engaged!

We Use it Every Time We Service a Vehicle

Whether we’re simply inspecting a car, changing a tire or doing some major service, we utilize the emergency brake every time. We know that it adds a level of protection to our mechanics and your transmission. The entire team at Oldsmar Automotive works hard to provide the highest level of service to our customers by doing simple things like applying the parking/emergency brake.

If your car needs service, from an oil change to new brakes or something unknown due to the check engine light being on, call us or come by. We’re conveniently located at 3166 Tampa Road in Oldsmar or you can call (727) 784-3501 to schedule an appointment.