Brake Problems

Uh-oh, your brake warning light just came on. Are you doomed to brake failure now? Learn what that little light means and how to know what it's telling you to do.

When you press the brake pedal in your car, you expect your brakes to work. But what if they didn't? If you've ever been in a vehicle that did not stop, you know the sheer terror that brake failure can cause.

By Chris Marlowe

Most pickup drivers want to be able to haul lots of stuff -- why else would you want a pickup truck, right? But there is a limit to how much you should carry. Overloading a truck can change how it steers and brakes.

By Sarah Siddons

Squeaky brakes can panic a driver, as brakes are arguably the most important safety feature in automobiles. Sometimes the concern is warranted, as the brakes are going bad. Other times, however, there may be nothing wrong at all. So, how can you tell the difference?

By Sarah Siddons

You're speeding over a patch of black ice or wet leaves when suddenly you try to stop -- and nothing happens. Instinct tells you to slam on the brakes, but that will just cause them to lock up, leaving you sliding down the street. What should you do?

By Ryan Johnson

If your brake pedal feels a little soft or squishy, then there's a good chance that you have air in your brake lines. But how could air possibly get into a sealed hydraulic brake system?

By Josh Briggs

Have you ever had to add brake fluid to your vehicle's master cylinder? Did you ever stop to think, why am I adding to a system that supposedly doesn't consume the fluid I pour in?

By Josh Briggs

Most people can feel their brakes as they wear, and they know when it's time to get new ones. But what if there's a leak in your brake line or someone cuts the line altogether?

By Marshall Brain