If your brake pedal is going all the way down to the ground when you push on it, you may need to have your brakes bled. When your brakes go down to the ground, also known as having a soft or squishy brake pedal, there can be numerous things wrong, but having air in the brake line is the most common cause of this issue. Bleeding your brakes helps to remove the air, hopefully solving this issue. Here is everything you need to know about bleeding your brakes.
Why Do Brakes Need to Be Bled?
Brakes need to be bled to remove air bubbles that are in your brake line. Your brake line carries brake fluid to your brakes, helping to ensure that your brakes help your car come to a full and complete stop.
The number one reason why brake lines have air bubbles in them is that your brake pad wore thin before you had your brakes replaced, thus allowing air into the lines. Additionally, if you had your brake lines flushed previously, air may have become trapped in the line during the flushing process.
What Are the Signs You Need to Have Your Brakes Bled?
The number one sign that you may need to have your brakes bled is having a soft brake pedal. However, this is not the only sign that your brakes may need to be bled.
If you find yourself pumping your brakes to get your car to come to a stop, you may have air in your tire. If you feel like you don't have a lot of resistance when you press on your brake pedal, even if the pedal does not go all the way to the ground, you may need to have your brakes bled.
Can You Bleed Your Brakes Yourself?
It is not recommended that you bleed your brakes yourself. While your brake lines are relatively easy to access, if you are not trained to bleed the brakes, you can actually inject more air into your brake lines during the process. This can worsen your problems, rather than correct them. Leave the task of bleeding your brakes to a brake service.
Do you have a soft or squishy brake pedal? If so, you need to have your brakes looked at by a brake service shop. They can determine if your brakes need to be bled and perform the service, or determine if something else is wrong with your brakes that may be causing this problem. Call a brake service shop such as G P Automotive today to schedule your appointment.
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