What does the brake master cylinder do?
The brake master cylinder holds the brake fluid when it is not being used. It connects to the rest of your braking system using brake pipes and hoses, which transfer the brake fluid from the brake master cylinder when you step on the brake pedal.
Causes of brake master cylinder damage:
The brake master cylinder has several external and internal seals that can wear out over time. If these seals break, they can leak brake fluid. There are also several internal seals which can dangerously reduce brake performance if they begin to wear.
Symptoms of a faulty brake master cylinder:
Brake fluid leaks – You may notice clear fluid leaking from your vehicle. Because the brake master cylinder is positioned near the right front wheel (on right hand drive vehicles) you may notice these leaks will likely appear around your right front wheel.
Brake pedal goes to the floor– when brake master cylinder internal seals fail, the brake fluid under hydraulic pressure leaks passed the internal brake seals, and in a worst case condition your brake pedal could go straight to the floor when you try to apply you brakes! This is a obviously a very dangerous condition that must be avoided at all cost.
Brake pedal feels soft or spongy – if there is air trap in the brake fluid hydraulic system your brake master cylinder pedal can feel soft or spongy. You may also notice that your brake pedal goes further down than normal, and that of you pump the brakes up by pushing on the brake pedal quickly, you get a firmer brake pedal.
This can often be fixed by bleeding the air from the brakes, which these days often requires the use of sophisticated scan tools to activate the brake bleeding system,
Reduced brake effectiveness – If your vehicle is not braking as quickly as it used to, the brake cylinder may be damaged.
Brake warning light on – Your brake warning light may appear ON if there is a problem with your braking system or your brake fluid is too low.
Rear brake lights not working correctly– Your rear brake lights being on constantly may be also caused by a faulty or stuck brake light switch that is often mounted close to your brake pedal under the brake master cylinder. Sometime the plunger on the brake light switch gets in, which will keep the brake light circuit constantly closed which keeps your rear brakes light constantly on.
If your rear brake lights don’t come on at all, it could be that this switch or its wiring has become open circuit.
Brake master cylinder repair & replacement in Hamilton
Has your car not been braking as well as normal? If so, we can help! Reduced brake effectiveness can be dangerous and lead to accidents. We can fix the problem to give your vehicle maximum safety.
At Grimmer Motors, we can replace your brake master cylinder and we have the latest scan tool technology to electronically assist in bleeding your brakes. This will allow for your braking system to function correctly and safely. Contact us today for reliable, honest vehicle services.