Your car's brakes are one of the essential components of your vehicle. A faulty brake system is a perfect prerequisite for disaster. The most common problem with brakes is the wearing out of the brake shoe and the leakage of the brake fluid. Have you ever driven down a slope, and when you try to step on your brake, it felt like you are stepping on a piece of rigid metal? It is scary, and you should immediately change course and head to a repair shop.
The following are the most common reasons why your brake pedal feels stiff:
Faulty Brake Booster
When your car's brake booster no longer maintains the vacuum pressure, the brake pedal will exhibit rigidity when you press it down. The main cause of the fault in the booster is the tearing on its diaphragm and the breaking of the check valve. It will stop the booster from creating a vacuum and thus fail to supply the power to the master cylinder. It will generally cause your brake pedal to become rigid and, on some occasions, might increase the braking distance.
Cracked Vacuum Hose
A Cracked vacuum hose is another cause of brake pedal stiffness. It is a component that connects the brake booster to the engine, where the air is drawn to create a vacuum. If the vacuum hose is cracked, the vacuum's formation is annihilated, leading to the stiffness of the brake pedal. With time, rubber vacuum hoses tend to dry rot and develop cracks at the connecting points. The cracks will cause a sudden hissing noise every time you step on your brakes.
Development of Sludge in the Brake System
If your brake booster is fine and there is no crack on the vacuum hose, then the cause of your car's brake stiffness might be sludge in the system. Brake fluids tend to absorb moisture which may eventually enter the brake system. The presence of water in the brake lines will eventually cause the buildup of sludge that will tend to limit the free movement of brake fluid. It will cause your brake pedal to feel stiff when you press it.
It is necessary to constantly check your car's brakes when you feel something is not right because it is the most crucial safety component. If you need brake repair, we invite you to bring your vehicle to Eagle Transmission & Auto Repair today!
