Estacada Auto Repair

Estacada Brake Repair

 "How much will it cost to repair the brakes on my car"?  The answer lies in knowing the extent of the concerns with the brake system. After a qualified technician has given your vehicle's brake system a proper inspection, a course of meaningful action(s) can be laid out and in many cases be presented with options, giving you choices for the care of your vehicle within the limits of safety considerations. Why settle for inspection or repair done by less-competent personnel, on the single most important safety feature of your vehicle? Braking systems have become very complex, often affecting traction-control, stability-control, and steering systems. Brakes which are not operating exactly as engineered by the vehicle manufacturer can lead to many problems, including excessive tire wear, long stopping distance, and loss of control.

 Here's a tip that comes from our Estacada brake repair specialists' years of experience; "economy" brake parts often provide significantly shorter service life and satisfaction than premium-quality parts and in the long run may cost you more. We have done a lot of monitoring and comparison of many different brake parts, which has given us information we need to install the parts which will perform best on your vehicle. Estacada area driving conditions are hard on brake systems; we use specific procedures to provide optimum brake performance and long brake life.

 "How do I know if my brake system requires attention"?        

There are several things to look out for:  

1. The vehicle shakes when the brakes are applied.  
2. There is abnormal noise when my brakes are applied.  
3. There is a pull while you are braking, or one tire tends to skid. 
4. The brake system warning light has illuminated on the instrument cluster/dash area.        

 In addition, our professional Estacada brake repair technicians visually inspect the visible brake system parts when your vehicle is here for oil change service; this allows us to give you advance notice of items that are likely to require attention in the near future.

What about brake fluid?

 As is the case with most fluids, the type, quality, and condition are all very important! There are common type designations such as DOT 3 and DOT 4, but there are also other versions. The brake fluid in almost all automobiles built for highway use is hygroscopic, which means that it absorbs water (you may have seen it incorrectly called hydroscopic). While may seem like a very bad idea, it actually greatly improves your safety and the integrity of hydraulic brake parts. While how this all works is complicated, what it means for you is this- brake fluid deteriorates (gets dirty) over time. Brake fluid replacement is extremely important and helpful in keeping the system working correctly for a long time, and is recommended by automobile manufacturers, typically every two to three years. We actually perform a brake fluid test to help determine its condition, as we do not wish to perform unnecessary services.

 At Cascade Automotive Repair and Services, we are equipped to test and repair advanced brake control systems- ABS/antilock, dynamic stability control, traction control, electronic/electric parking brake, and hill descent control. Making sure that everything is working optimally is our pleasure!