BRAKELIGHT: Chevy S10
When the customer drove the vehicle in, he stated that the brake pedal was low and there was a wet spot under the truck. It was a busy day at the shop and I didn’t have time to get it in the shop to see what it needed. Given the description, I decided to go out to the parking lot to see where
Brake Job: 2009-2015 Honda Pilot
The second-generation Honda Pilot shares the same platform as the Odyssey minivan and Accord. It also shares a lot of the same complaints concerning “warped” rotors. It is not excess heat that causes brake judder and pulsation, it is lateral runout and disc thickness variation (DTV). The Pilot is sensitive to disc thickness variation. This
BRAKELIGHT: Beware the Brake Racketeer (1932)
In the 1930s, brake services like relining and adjustments were performed more often than oil changes. Most vehicles with mechanical brakes required adjustment every 1,000 miles to make sure they stopped straight or even stop at all. Shops were being forced to compete with people who performed brake repairs in backyards and at the side of
BRAKELIGHT: Chevy Avalanche
A customer recently brought in a Chevy Avalanche due to a slight brake noise. Both pads were gone, the caliper piston was AWOL and the rotor looked like this. — Submitted by Ryan Dickerson, Blackville, SC
Brakelights: Foam Means Fade (June 1961)
Shocks fading on vehicles was a big safety concern before gas charged shocks in the 1970s. On bumpy roads, old shocks would heat up the fluid, causing bubbles to form in the fluid. This would cause the piston to cavitate and the shock to fade. Often, the car would lose control. Sometimes, if the fade was bad enough, the shock would puke fluid out of the top seal. Gas charging of shocks changed this because the fluid was now under pressure, much like an unopened beer can.
BRAKELIGHT: Cartoon Windows (1955)
The going rate for a complete brake job in 1955 was $18.20. Drum brakes of this vintage had limited self-adjustment and required constant attention. This shop building is still there, but it is now a Tiki Bar.
BRAKELIGHT: Reliable Brake Service, St. Louis, MO (Dec. 1965)
Reliable Brake Service in St. Louis, MO, is an institution in the Lindwood Park neighborhood. The two-foot tall letters on the front of the building have stood for more than 50 years and have outlasted two owners. In July 2015, the business was put up for sale due to the partial retirement of the current
How New Technologies Impact ABS Systems and Chassis Service
I’m sure you have all been to an ABS systems class where you’ve heard that the base brake system must be operating as designed in order for ABS systems to work properly. This is true, but many still perform brake service in the same way they always have.
EPB Diagnostics
A growing number of vehicles are equipped with EPB (electronic parking brakes). This article discusses diagnostic approaches for servicing these systems.
Cheap Brake Pads
Selling cheap brake pads can help automotive technicians market their services, but what is the real cost of installing inferior quality brake pads?
Regulators Launch Investigation Into Jeep Grand Cherokee Brake Defect
Regulators are investigating whether the automatic braking systems in some 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokees may be defective after receiving a number of complaints from concerned motorists.
Tech Tip: Uncovering Brake Fluid Leaks on Acura Integras
The brake fluid level on 1994 Integras may be low in the ABS reservoir, and fluid may appear to be leaking from under the label on the ABS accumulator. The likely cause is that the ABS accumulator internal O-ring is damaged, allowing brake fluid to leak out.