what does it mean when your brake pedal goes to the floor

When it comes to brakes, trust your feelings! You lot know how brakes feel when they're working properly: You printing the pedal, and it feels firm. If the brake pedal goes to the floor or goes spongy, it simply doesn't feel right. When something is equally important every bit your brakes, don't ignore your feelings. Bring your vehicle to Jiffy Lube® for a brake inspection and maintenance correct away.

Jiffy Lube takes pride in having some of the near highly trained technicians in the industry who are gear up to help you lot with important questions like:

Why does my brake pedal go to the floor?
What causes spongy brakes?
Why do I accept to press so hard on my brakes?

LET'S STOP AND REVIEW HOW BRAKES WORK

Agreement the brake organization tin help y'all better maintain it, and meliorate reply when y'all sense something is wrong.

You press the brake pedal, creating mechanical force that goes through the brake booster.
The brake booster amplifies the mechanical forcefulness on the main cylinder.
The master cylinder converts that mechanical force to hydraulic pressure.
Hydraulic fluid (also known as restriction fluid) is pressurized through the chief cylinder to the restriction lines and hoses.
The brake lines and hoses carry the fluid to the wheels.
This is where pressure comes in. If your vehicle has disc brakes (the near common braking organisation), the fluid causes caliper pistons to printing the brake pads. With drum brakes, it'due south wheel cylinders that press the restriction shoes.
Pressure level confronting the disc or drum restriction causes your vehicle to slow or stop.

Now that we've covered the basics, we can concentrate on your questions.

foot pressing on accelerator pedal

QUESTION: WHY DOES MY BRAKE PEDAL GO TO THE FLOOR?

Respond: Outset of all, this is a serious problem and you shouldn't bulldoze your vehicle until the issue is diagnosed and repaired.

There are several reasons why the brake pedal goes to the floor, including:

A fluid leak. When in that location's a leak, the right corporeality of hydraulic fluid won't get in through the master cylinder and you won't be able to brake properly.
Air in the restriction lines. After it's determined how the air is getting in, the restriction lines should be bled to go the air out.
Misaligned restriction shoes. If your car has rear drum brakes and the brake pedal goes to the floor, the rear brake shoes could be out of alignment.
Sediment. Sometimes when new restriction pads are installed, sediment tin can inadvertently be pushed back into the hydraulic system. This sediment can impairment the master cylinder.
A worn or malfunctioning main cylinder. If the primary cylinder isn't performing equally designed, it may need to exist replaced.
Defective replacement cylinder. If, after the master cylinder has been replaced and the system has been bled, and still your brake pedal goes to the floor, the new master cylinder may be defective. This is rare, but it happens and the new cylinder should exist examined.

QUESTION: WHAT CAUSES SPONGY BRAKES?

Reply: Oftentimes drivers don't take this trouble every bit seriously as those who inquire, "Why does my brake pedal go to the floor?" After all, the brakes all the same piece of work. They just feel "funny" (aka "spongy" or "mushy"). Just ignoring this problem would be a mistake! It's not going to become better on its own, and it could be an indicator of serious problem with your brake organization.

Spongy brakes could exist caused by several things, including:

Air leaking in and interfering with the flow of the hydraulic fluid through the braking arrangement. The source of the leak should exist identified and repaired, and so all the air should be bled from the system.
A fluid leak. Often when air leaks in, hydraulic fluid is also leaking out.
Onetime or contaminated fluid. Equally hydraulic fluid flows through the braking organization, it naturally absorbs wet. Over time, onetime or contaminated fluid can reduce braking efficiency.

QUESTION: WHY DO I HAVE TO Press SO Difficult ON MY BRAKES?

ANSWER: Maybe you have a bad booster. The brake booster increases the mechanical forcefulness from the pedal to the main cylinder. If that extra heave of mechanical force is reduced by a blockage or leak, the pedal won't engage as engineered and the brakes won't function properly.

Remember, there are many weather that can indicate trouble with your brakes, and they all demand attention. Your brakes keep yous condom. Information technology'due south that simple. When you feel something is wrong, play it prophylactic and have your car towed to 1 of the ii,000 Jiffy Lube locations across North America.

Plow TO JIFFY LUBE TO HELP DIAGNOSE THE Trouble AND Correct IT

Here's what to wait when yous bring your auto to a Jiffy Lube service heart for brake service:

A trained technician will ask you a few questions to identify your driving style.
A complete visual inspection of your vehicle's brakes will be performed (wheels on).
A more thorough restriction inspection is performed if a tire rotation is performed.
Brake service recommendations will be presented to you lot based on this visual inspection.
In some cases, a more than comprehensive inspection may exist recommended.
Your vehicle will exist exam driven before and later the restriction service.
The technician will explain the results and respond your questions.
Service options will exist presented in writing.
As needed, and only with your consent, your brake arrangement will be serviced post-obit OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) specifications.

Don't wait until something goes wrong with your brakes. Count on Jiffy Lube for regularly scheduled routine maintenance. The best way to keep rolling safe is to maintain your car as recommended by your owner's transmission. No transmission? No problem! The Jiffy Lube technicians tin can access the maintenance recommendations for your specific vehicle.

Stanfield Thervill