Brake maintenance is essential for safe driving, as worn or damaged components can make it difficult to stop when needed. As your Acura dealership, we want to tell you about some of the brake repair services we provide.
Examples of Brake Services Available at Your Acura Dealership
Rotor Resurfacing
The rotors are smooth, flat metal discs positioned behind the wheel hubs. When you apply the brakes, the brake calipers clamp against both sides of each rotor. The calipers contain brake pads that have rough material coverings, which produce friction against the rotors, and this friction stops the wheels.
A rotor surface must be smooth and flat to enable the calipers to grab it. Over time, rust can develop on the rotors due to their exposure to water, mud, and snow. Rust weakens a rotor, but it also makes the surface uneven. When a caliper grabs an uneven surface, it causes vibrations. We fix this issue by resurfacing the damaged rotors, which removes thin layers of the rotor until it’s completely smooth again.
Brake Bleeding
Brake fluid provides the hydraulic power that allows the brake system to engage. It’s highly pressurized and operates in a closed system to maintain this pressure. Despite this, air can find its way into the system over time, leading to serious problems. Air bubbles block the fluid’s flow, reducing braking power and even causing brake failure.
Bleeding the brakes removes any air in the system. We bleed the valve on each caliper in turn and use a vacuum pump to drain fluid and air until the fluid runs clean and contains no bubbles. We top up the brake fluid in the master cylinder during this process. Once all the air has been removed, we again check the brake fluid level and add additional fluid if necessary.
Brake Caliper Repair
The calipers, as we saw above, are a vital part of the braking system, but they can be damaged by stones or other hard objects thrown up from the surface or by rust. Damaged calipers might not clamp against the rotors when you hit the brake, and the affected wheel will turn slightly to one side until brought to a stop by the other wheels.
Calipers can also jam in position, and if the caliper is in contact with the rotor, it creates a dragging effect. This reduces acceleration and increases fuel, as the engine works harder to overcome the caliper’s resistance. The dragging effect will also damage the brake pad inside the affected caliper and can potentially damage the rotor as well. We’ll examine the calipers and repair or replace them depending on their condition.
If your brakes aren’t working as efficiently as they should, contact our service department at Fox Acura of El Paso in El Paso, TX.
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