Do your car brakes feel like they are sticking?
A Cadillac XTS driver was experiencing this problem. When it was brought into our shop, our technician saw that the driver side rear wheel wasn’t spinning. The brakes would stick when they were cold and hot.
Sticking brakes can feel like you’re pressing the brake pedal even though you’re not.
When they’re hot, you may notice a vibration or – eventually – a pulsation.
There are a few possible problems that could cause brakes to stick
- Slide pins not moving
- Seized brake caliper
- Parking brake mechanism sticking
We recommended brake diagnostics to track down the exact reason and see if it was causing other issues.
What problems can lead to sticking brakes?
When working on this type of brake repair, our technicians start with the brake fluid.
We inspect and recommend replacing brake fluid when opening the brake lines. This fluid is very corrosive – if brake fluid is on an item it could easily take off the paint.
With the transfer of heat and moisture, the fluid can break down the inside of the braking system if you don’t service it regularly.
If a customer mentions that their car has sticking brakes, we would want to make sure the slide pins move. It’s also important to confirm that the brake caliper pushes down and the parking brake mechanism isn’t stuck.
There are a couple different kinds of parking brakes. Some operate with the caliper and others are actuated from the inside with brake shoes. They both have an arm mechanism and work similarly.
Brake repair on the Cadillac XTS
On the Cadillac XTS, the electric parking brake was operating correctly and the slide pins were free. This helped us track down the reason behind the brake problem – a caliper that was seizing up.
If this part doesn’t move freely, it gets stuck in one position and has to be moved. The pistons on the Cadillac’s caliper wouldn’t move back and forth.
When replacing brake calipers, we will do it in pairs. The other caliper was working fine. However, if you take a new caliper and an old caliper, one will react faster than the other.
The brake hoses were changed, as well. You have a soft rubber on the inside of the hose that can deteriorate. We replaced both the calipers and the hoses as a set to avoid a repeat problem.
Now this car has fresh parts, new fluid, and a healthy braking system.
Taking care of your brakes
Staying up-to-date on brake maintenance keeps the system running as it was designed and prevents premature wear among parts.
Brake fluid exchanges are suggested every 30,000 miles, depending on the vehicle and the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Brake hoses, brake lines, brake pads and rotors, brake hardware and other components should be replaced as needed.
Our technicians perform digital inspections to let customers know how different parts of the vehicle are looking and share any recommended services.
If you experience any braking problems while driving, have that checked out by a nearby auto repair shop. That includes sticking brakes, hard brake pedals, brake pedals going to the floor, and shaking in the seat or steering wheel when braking.
HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire is an authorized Michelin and BFGoodrich tire dealer located near Lake Ridge, Virginia. Automotive repair services are performed on all makes and models, including oil changes, brakes, alignments, inspections, and computer engine diagnostics.