Brakes are an important tool for controlling the operation of your car

Driving with damaged or faulty brakes is very dangerous and can lead to serious injury. There is some good news: If you feel you are having problems with your brakes, it may be possible to find out what they are and fix them yourself. Determining what problems you may have is not difficult and can make your driving experience safer and more pleasant. Best of all, it can give you peace of mind. Determining Whether Your Car has Power Brakes Determine what kind of brakes your car uses by bringing it to a stop while driving at low speeds. If the length between the lowest point you can push the pedal and the floor is more than three inches, your car doesn't have power brakes. However, if you can press the brakes significantly lower than that, your car does have power brakes. If you have power brakes and they aren't working properly, get your power booster replaced by an automotive service technician. Incorrect levels of brake fluid One of the simplest ways to determine if you don't have enough or have too much brake fluid is to check the fluid levels under the hood. In many cases, you should be able to see right through the container. Otherwise, you can screw off the lid and look inside it. Problems occur when the brake fluid is above the "max" mark or below the "min" mark. Do not add more brake fluid unless the fluid level is below the "min" mark. Brake fluid contamination and broken brake lines The braking system of your vehicle is supposed to be closed, and small holes can introduce contaminants such as air into your brake lines. If you depress your brakes and notice that doing so feels like you're pushing into a sponge, you may need to replace the brake lines and your brake fluid. Brake pad issues and replacement If you hear abnormal noises when applying pressure to your brakes such as grinding or squealing, you could be having serious problems with your brake pads. In this case, you may want to consider having them inspected and replaced by an automotive service technician. These tasks are also possible to do yourself using the following method. Use mechanic's gloves to keep your hands clean. They can also protect you from injury. Jack up the car and remove the wheels. Remove any bolts holding the calipers in place. Inspect the brake pads to determine if replacement is necessary. Note the retaining clips. New brake pads usually include new retaining clips. Remove the old brake pads and use the new retaining clips to hold the replacement brake pads in place. Also, apply any included grease to the brake pads. Reassemble the brakes by pushing the caliper pistons back before pushing the calipers themselves into place..