October 29, 2021
How You Can Detect Problems in Your Brakes
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Since brake parts have specific lifespans, servicing them regularly is a big must for preventing premature brake failure. Brake problems may be rare, but when you fail to catch signs of these as early as possible, there’s no doubt that your car will encounter major issues sooner rather than later. Since your brakes are one of your car’s most important safety components, you just can’t leave a warning sign unattended.
Once you notice an unusual smell coming from your brakes, you should start looking for the problem. Doing nothing to resolve the issue will only make room for severe damages and expensive repairs.
With all these in mind, Veteran Car Donations has put together a guide to help you identify any issues your brakes might face. If you see any of the following warning signs, call your local mechanic to get your brakes checked:
- High-pitched noises
If you hear squeaking, grinding, or squealing noises, you better take a good look at your pad wear indicators. These noises mean that your pads are most likely to be worn out and need replacements. To avoid costly repairs and damage to other parts, you’ll need to change the pads every time your car is serviced.
- Burning smell
A strong burning odor can mean two things — an overheated engine or overheated brakes — especially after traveling down a steep road. You can tell if it’s the latter when the smell is sharp and chemical-like. When you detect such odor after repeated braking, you should pull over immediately, check your parking brake, and wait a few minutes for them to cool down.
- Vibration or pulsation
Vibration in the steering wheel or brake pedal happens when the brake rotor is no longer aligned with the wheel, causing your car to slow down. Although vibration doesn’t pose a major threat to the system’s performance, it’s best to get your brakes fixed as early as you can. Waiting any longer will cause your rotors to get warped from the metal-on-metal rubbing, possibly costing you hundreds of dollars for repair.
- Spongy brake
If you notice your brake pedal feeling soft or spongy whenever you press it, you might be encountering a brake fluid leak. Another way to diagnose a leak is a brake pedal pressing all the way to the floor. Since the brake system relies on pressurized hydraulic fluid, a leak will mean that the brakes won’t be working properly, which is why you must get them examined right away.
- Fluid leaking
The first thing to inspect when you’re experiencing a soft brake pedal is fluid leaking from the master cylinder or any parts of the brake system. As you press the brake pedal, the fluid is pushed through thin piping, which results in hydraulic pressure. This may mean that there won’t be sufficient power to force the pads to adhere to the rotors.
- Brake light alert
Last but not the least, we have the most obvious sign of brake problem, which is the warning light on the dashboard. Once you see any of the red or yellow brake indicators light up, check up on your handbrake and make sure that the tires are not skidding. If you don’t see any issues with your brake system despite an indicator turning on, just pull over and call for assistance.
A Meaningful Way to Get Rid of an Unwanted Car
Are you encountering brake and other pesky problems with the old car you’re still using today? Stop plunking money down the drain to pay for its never-ending repairs. Do the right thing by disposing of your clunker before it gets you into serious trouble.
Don’t worry — you can still make good use of your beater by donating it to us here at Veteran Car Donations. We’ll use it to provide for the needs of the struggling veterans and their families in your local area.
We’ll fix and polish your vehicle before putting it up for auction, with the proceeds going to some of our nation’s leading military and veteran nonprofit organizations that are in partnership with us. These IRS-certified 501(c)(3) nonprofits use the funding that we give them to provide their veteran beneficiaries with free quality health care, financial aid, housing assistance, employment opportunities, family support, educational scholarships, psychotherapy services, and many other benefits.
You will also reap great rewards from your charitable contribution. You’ll get to benefit from our free professional towing service. You’ll also enjoy our quick and convenient donation process where you don’t have to do any paperwork.
On top of that, you’ll have the privilege of receiving the maximum tax deduction in the next tax season.
Above all, you’ll have the ultimate pleasure and satisfaction of doing something extraordinary that can help uplift the lives of our nation’s heroes.
We take in nearly all vehicle types, including those that are no longer in good condition. You can donate wherever you are in the country since we operate in all 50 states
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to call us at 877-594-5822 or you may send us a message here. Check out our FAQs page for more information on our donation program.
It’s Time to Retire Your Old Clunker!
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Your old car deserves a fitting retirement for all the services it provided you. Donating it to us means giving it a new and worthy purpose as it will help in uplifting the lives of the disadvantaged and neglected veterans in your area. Call Veteran Car Donations at 877-594-5822 or fill out our online donation form now!
Last Updated: August 23rd, 2023