September 3, 2020

A Simple Handbook for Brake Maintenance

Your INFINITI's braking system is one of the many systems that helps keep you and other motorists safe on the road. You rely on your brakes every time you drive your car, which means it can be pretty unnerving when you hear a squealing sound or if a brake light pops up on your dashboard.

But when it comes to caring for your INFINITI's brake system, there's a lot more to it than changing the brake pads or having them serviced when a light comes on. In this complete guide, we'll show you what you can do to care for your brakes and help maintain your stopping power in between service appointments.

How does the brake system work?

Your braking system has a lot of moving parts. When you press your foot on the brake pedal, you create hydraulic pressure in the master cylinder. The pressure flows through the hydraulic lines and hoses to the wheel cylinders and calipers, forcing the pads against the rotors (disc brakes) or the shoes against the drums (drum brakes). The resulting friction slows or stops your car.

What does each brake part do?

Here's a rundown of what the major components of a brake system do.

Brake Pedal

The brake pedal, situated near the gas pedal, is the lever that you push with your foot to slow down or stop your car.

Brake Booster

Modern vehicles are equipped with power brakes, which let you slow down or stop a car without needing to apply so much pressure with your foot. The brake booster is connected to the brake pedal.

Cars with power brakes come with a hydraulic booster or vacuum booster. Simply put, these boosters rely on either hydraulic pressure or vacuum pressure to assist with braking. A vacuum booster runs on pressure supplied by a vacuum mechanism, whereas a hydraulic booster operates on hydraulic pressure that's typically generated by a pump. Most cars with power brakes operate with vacuum boosters while some operate with hydraulic boosters.

Bottom line: A vacuum booster and a hydraulic booster achieve the same purpose—decreasing the amount of force needed to apply power brakes.

Master Cylinder

The force produced by the brake booster travels to the master cylinder. Found under the hood of your car, the master cylinder contains the brake fluid. The pressure applied when you put your foot on the pedal sends the master cylinder into action. That pressure enables the master cylinder to push a piston and let brake fluid flow through the brake lines to all four brakes.

Brake Lines

Brake lines, made of metal, are similar to your body's blood vessels. When the brake pedal is pushed, the brake lines carry brake fluid from the master cylinder to the front and rear brakes. Brake fluid transfers the energy generated by pushing the brake pedal to the brake calipers or drums.

Brake Hoses

Brake hoses, normally made of reinforced rubber, transfer brake fluid from brake lines to the brake calipers in a car with a disc braking system.

Brake Calipers

For a car with disc brakes, the brake calipers squeeze, or clamp down on, the brake pads against the brake rotors (discs) to slow or stop the car. The brake pads are inside the calipers.

Brake Pads

Brake pads apply pressure and friction to the brake rotors. They play a critical role in slowing or stopping your car.

Brake Rotors

The brake rotors are just as important as the brake pads. Brake rotors are metal discs inside the wheels that work in tandem with the brake pads to slow or stop your car.

Drum Brakes and Brake Shoes

Drum brakes don't feature brake pads, calipers, or rotors. Rather, a drum brake system comprises a wheel cylinder that presses brake shoes against the inside of a rotating drum. This slows down or stops the spinning of the brake drum and wheel.

Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)

An anti-lock braking system (ABS) prevents your car's four wheels from locking up when you suddenly hit the brakes during an emergency situation. An ABS consists of four key components: speed sensors, a pump, a controller, and valves. The speed sensors are attached to each wheel and tell your car when the wheels are getting ready to lock up.

When do brake parts need to be repaired or replaced?

There's no one-size-fits-all answer to when your INFINITI brake parts need to be repaired or replaced. The answer depends on the age of your car, your driving habits, when you last had brake maintenance done, and other factors.

Here are five questions you can answer to help determine when your INFINITI brake parts, or really the brake parts of any vehicle, should be repaired or replaced:

1. How do you drive? If you regularly tow with your vehicle, this might cause more wear and tear on your brakes. But if your typical drive is mostly to the office or the store, your brakes might not be as worn. Likewise, if you're constantly slamming on the brakes, your brakes may need more TLC than if you stop more gently.
2. Where do you drive? Are you constantly driving in stop-and-go traffic? Are you doing a lot of off-roading? Do you often travel on mountain roads? If so, your brakes might wear out more quickly than in other situations.
3. How good are your brake parts? High-quality parts typically last longer than poorly made parts do. Your brake parts also might be less durable if they're not installed correctly.
4. When did you last get the brakes inspected? In general, you should get your brakes checked when you get your tires rotated. This normally should happen every six months. Maintenance of brake pads ranks among the most-delayed car maintenance tasks.
5. How many miles have you driven? Many drivers want to turn to a concrete number to know when to replace brake pads. However, brake life isn't predicted on mileage and can vary greatly depending on driving habits and vehicle characteristics. Timely inspections are key to making sure you aren't surprised when your brakes need to be replaced.

What are some of the signs of brake problems?

It might be time to repair or replace brake parts if the:

• Brake warning light on the dashboard illuminates.
• Car makes squeaking, squealing or grinding noises. Brake noises are among the most common problems cited by car owners, but not all noises are cause for concern.
• Brake pedal or steering wheel shakes or vibrates during braking.
• Fluid is leaking. This is a serious concern and you should have your brake system inspected by a qualified technician.
• Brake pedal feels soft or spongy.
• Brake pedal is difficult to push.
• Car pulls to one side or the other when you apply the brakes.
• Tires seem to be emitting foul “burnt rubber” odors.

How can you protect your brakes?

Here are seven ways you can help extend the life of your brakes:

1. Don't speed. When you're driving at a high speed, your braking system works harder when you need to stop. This increases wear and tear on the brakes.
2. Don't slam the brakes. This can cause your brakes to wear out faster.
3. Don't ride the brakes. Riding the brakes—keeping your foot on the brake pedal longer than you should down an incline—can create short-term and long-term problems with the braking system. Use a lower gear when driving down an incline to help slow the vehicle and give your brakes a break.
4. Don't be a tailgater. Following other vehicles too closely can cause you to make last-minute stops more often, putting more stress on the brakes.
5. Don't skip regular brake maintenance. Getting your brakes checked routinely can detect or prevent problems and help avoid even costlier repairs.
6. Don't forget to have the brake fluid flushed periodically. Brake fluid can become contaminated or ineffective over time.
7. Don't use inferior parts. High-quality brake parts perform better and last longer.

Is it time to give your brakes a tune-up? You can get the brake parts you need to make your brakes work better from INFINITI, or find your nearest INFINITI service center for hands-off brake care from our expert technicians.