Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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They don't use asbestos anymore.
I have a 19 year old, still at home. They are still children and more than often act like it. :sick:
Still, he should be chastised for his lack of responsibility. My opinion.
And as was pointed out, the light comes on for a major problem.
Leaks on brake systems never get better, they get worse, until the point of failure. You want to gamble on when that failure will happen?
I sure wouldn't.
I have a 19 year old, still at home. They are still children and more than often act like it.
Still, he should be chastised for his lack of responsibility. My opinion.
I'm 33 and my mom STILL chastises me!
As for "only 3 miles" There is a statistic out there that says a high percent 75% or something accidents happen within 5 miles of home.
-mike
The brake light serves multiple duty on most vehicles. It often tells you when the parking-brake is on and also is an indicator of when there is a pressure-differential between the 2 hydrolic systems.
On some vehicles (Honda... perhaps others?) the brake-light on the dash actually is a LEVEL sensor.... but this is rare on most vehicles.
So, the answer to your question is "it depends"... based on the vehicle you are dealing with. For *most* vehicles, when this light comes on... it means there is air intrusion into one of the 2 hydrolic systems and brake failure is immenent. Adding fluid WILL NOT FIX this kind of problem because the air in the system is not likely to come out by itself.
BOTTOM LINE: On your dashboard, neither the "brake light" nor the "oil pressure light" are indicators of fluid LEVEL... instead, they tell you when hydrolic pressure is too low and should be considerd a DANGER signal.
Add in Subaru, Nissan as well to this, it's a level indicator on those cars as well.
-mike
Best Regards,
Shipo
All automakers have the pressure-differential sensor between the 2 hydrolic systems. This is not a LEVEL sensor but insted informs you of immenent brake failure.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Wrong.
To clear things up about the vehicle in question.
The 97 Volkswagen Jetta does indeed have a level indicator in the brake fluid cap.
The brake light can also come on because of low brake fluid level, because of the brake pad wear indicator, the brake fluid low pressure sensor (not a pressure-differential sensor between the 2 hydraulic systems) and the park brake switch.
Also, some fluid level drop in the brake resevoir is normal, as the brake pad wears, the caliper piston moves out and is displaced by fluid from the resevoir.
Same goes for clutch slave cylinders.
Actually, that is more common than you may think on model years pre-2000.
All automakers have the pressure-differential sensor between the 2 hydrolic systems. This is not a LEVEL sensor but insted informs you of immenent brake failure.
The vehicle in question is a 97 model year, a differential pressure sensor is not on this vehicle. And what 2 hydraulic systems is it going to check for pressure differential on this one?
If you are referring to the one in the ABS, it will trigger the ABS light on this model and default the system to normal braking.
Thanks that is what I thought...that it was fluid level as well as indicator for other problems. Given that, is it not strange that the level would drop by nearly 16 oz, before this came on?
I agree, though, that warning light, be it level or pressure loss, is like the oil warning light...it means STOP and check it out!
That's why it's RED and not green or orange.
Like STOP signs, red lights and blood.
As for the question "And what 2 hydraulic systems is it going to check for pressure differential on this one? " The brake-system on EVERY automobile has 2 totally seperate hydrolic systems. (this is why the master-cylinder has 2 outlets). One of the basic safety-indicators is to have a piston between these 2 hydrolic systems which SHOULD always remain centerd because the pressure in both should always be the same. (both systems will be under high-pressure at the same time when brakes are applied.)
That piston which is mounted between these 2 systems has an electrical switch which will illuminate the dashboard light if either one of the 2 systems has a different pressure than the other. (The piston will move twards the side with less pressure) This would mean that there is a fluid-leak in one of the 2 sides of the brake system.
Just the ones built after 1967!
Happy Holidays!
The dual system then, would be the front and rear.
But you are wrong about what you said.
One of the basic safety-indicators is to have a piston between these 2 hydrolic systems which SHOULD always remain centerd because the pressure in both should always be the same. (both systems will be under high-pressure at the same time when brakes are applied.)
No, they will not be the same. That is why they have a "proportioning valve" in the system and they sensor you are referring to is on the proportioning valve.
The proportioning valve is designed to supply more pressure to either the front or the rear, depending on whether it is 4 wheel disk, rear drum or what ever.
For example, the Camaro proportioning valve has a 50% reduction rate to the rear brakes.
Today's vehicles still have a proportioning valve, but they are also called a "Combination valve". So, it depends on the manufacturer.
I always thought these sytems were "diagonal", meaning one consists of right front and left rear, while the other is left front and right rear. :confuse:
However: The dual hydrolic systems are not ALWAYS front/rear. VWs have been using an "X" system as long as I can remember.
It takes more plumbing and design work... but the "X" system guarantees that you ALWAYS have at least one front and one rear brake operational.
Some brake systems have a sensor that can tell how much weight is on the rear wheels and will alter the "proportioning" to the rear brakes based on this.
The original reason for a proportioning valve was when Disk brakes started to be used on the front while Drum brakes were on the rear. The "proprotioning" valve allowed for the inherent operational charactoristics of the Drum brakes to be 'equalized' to the front disk brakes. (The return-springs of the Drum brakes needed to be compensated for)
-mike
Sure you can use SS (stainless steel brake lines) that might give you better pedal feel. It will NOT increase stopping (performance) power as measured (in say 150 ft to 130 ft.) Sure you can get more aggressive pads, but most likely, you will experience faster pads and rotor wear. This will probably increase your acquisition costs and increase your replacement cycle costs.
The best (size matters here) is the bigger system: starting with rotor, (and more aggressive) pads, caliper. An easy example to point to is Corvette pads and rotors, oem that can stop the 2950# vehicle in 109 ft., 60-0. One problem factor is of course your vehicle probably weighs more. If you stay within your tire and rim size, it will make your tires obsolete. If you do an integrated tire, rim, brake system upgrade it will cost a small bundle. You will also lose hp/torque. Of course adding it back to compensate for the loss will further cost more. The truth is without real time testing, you really do not know what actual results you are buying, i.e., again 150 ft 60-0 stopping distance to 130 ft. and the loss/gain in hp /torque.
That's like taking your car to a quality body shop and asking for Maaco pricing on a paint job.
And I don't know how stainless steel lines would make a difference in pedal feel if they are the same diameter??
Can someone explain?
Yes, I sure did!
You must have missed my first paragraph response!! Fire away if you have any questions.
To further explain, SS Lines actually are rubber lines with a SS Mesh on the outside, this prevents that buldge and provides a firmer pedal feel. They also cost about $100 a car set.
As for the comments about non-oem pads wearing your rotors faster, that's not necessarily true not to mention the cost savings. You can pickup some Akebono Pro-Act Ceramics for about 1/2 or 1/3 the cost of the OEMs and they will provide more bite and last just as long.
-mike
The comment I made was not about necessarily "NON" oem pads, but more "AGGRESSIVE" pads. All things being equal for example, the more aggressive pads WILL wear faster, than the LESS aggressive pads, be they oem or NON. Can I get more wear from an aggressive pad and less wear from an oem pad? Absolutely!!! So I would hope that clarifies the drift here.
So for example for one particular application, I have a set of Akebono Pro-Act Ceramics with Balo rotors. The pads cost more than the oem. Balo is reputed to both a better an a longer lasting rotor, both due to superior quality and by virture of the fact each rotor uses 1# to 1.5 #'s more active materials than the oems. They also cost more (than oem rotors). Right now at 100,000 miles on the oem, I am projecting 200,000 miles on the oem fronts/rears. While I would like to tell you I can get that on the new combination Akebono/Balos, AND stop better, the fact of the matter is there are few follks that HAVE that kind of mileage on that combination and nobody has done tests on the 60-0 stopping distances. So while all this "better performance" is my expectation, I wont be able to really tell you for another 300,000 miles. (sooner if the Akebono/Balo do not go the projected 200,000 miles) So if the Akebono/Balo do last longer than the oems it COULD wind up costing less per mile stopped/driven than the oems.. The real reason why I did get the Akebono from a trusted vendor in the know was because of the potential for less brake dust, similar wear patterns and longer lasting than oems and reputed same to slightly better stopping performance.
I can talk about the other 4 vehicles I follow, and the app 4 x 4 each brake and rotor sets I follow, but I am sure that would add to the confusion and not clarify it.
What are equivalent pads in the normal aftermarket? Bendix? Raybestos? I will stick with OEM level brake pads to retain that feel the car had when new, but I'm not sure whether to look to semi-metallic or to ceramic pads.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
In terms of longevitiy, I find that cars with better pads that provide more grip generally will last me a lot longer than OEMs. I run Hawk HPs Pads or HP+ cars on mine Subarus. They outlast my OEM pads yet provide better braking. I do get more dust but that's where the tradeoff is.
In general OEM pads I've found to be ALOT more expensive than quality aftermarket pads with similar or better longevity and stopping power.
-mike
Is it true for all? I don't know.
However, I have no cause to disbelieve what you are telling me. I am ok with dust if the braking performance and longevity are "better" which is more important to me. However if the performance and longevity are there, which he assured me it is, I am ok with switching to the ceramic (Akebono) even with the premium.
-mike
Where do you live that you can go 100K+ on a set of pads and rotors?
-mike
One way that I get 56MPG is to NOT use the brakes very much. (Also, a manual xmission is much easier on brakepads than automatic.)
To be honest.... I usually have to replace rusted ROTORS before wearing out brakepads on ANY of my vehicles. The calcide used to melt snow from the roads makes rotors look aweful.
Click here for an example of what rotors look like after 3 winters. On that vehicle, the origianl rotors lasted 2 winters and the "Powerslot" rotors lasted 3 winters.
To answer your other question, my drive to work is about 10 miles and I see perhaps 4 other cars pass me coming the other direction.
I also practice safe driving which means always follow 1 second for every 10 MPH you are traveling. This eliminates the need for unnecessarry braking. If the light ahead is red GET OFF THE THROTTLE and let the engine slow you down.
There are a LOT of ways to keep from wearing out the breaks and almost every one of them also saves fuel consumption.
Sorry for the query.
Have a good day.
I guess if I lived in VT I could do it though.
-mike
link title
-mike
I know it is very difficult to diagnose in this manner but if anyone has any ideas on what may be happening I would be very appreciative. The vehicle has a little over 130k mi. on it and is really a very nice teenager car but I am not sure how much I want to put into it. I'm looking for ideas of where to start. I have been a shade tree mechanic for many years but this is my first experience with ABS.
Thanks Folks!