Car brake repairs and servicing

Looking for car brake repairs in the Emu Plains, Penrith or Lower Blue Mountains area? Ask Indy Performance.

Being able to stop safely is just as important as engine performance. Maybe more so. We can ensure your brakes are in top condition.

It’s worth knowing the signs of worn or malfunctioning brakes. These include:

  • Drag, caused by sticking brakes. You may find that your wheels are extra hot after driving, or that your engine seems to have lost power — because it’s fighting the brakes. Brakes can stick on (not releasing) or off (when you have no braking at all).

  • Pull, when your vehicle slews to one side as you apply the brakes. While the cause may be as simple as an under-inflated tyre, it may indicate that your brakes are not adjusted properly or need repair.

  • Heavy pressure needed to apply the brakes. The causes for this may be trouble with the hydraulics and the power braking system, frozen callipers or wheel cylinders, or damaged brake linings.

  • Brake warning indicator on dashboard stays alight. A red light may simply mean you’ve left the parking brake on. It may be a reminder to top up your brake fluid. But it could be a sign of something more serious, like a failure in the hydraulic system that applies the brakes.

    If you have an ABS system, a yellow light indicates that it is disabled. If this is the case, your normal brakes should still work, but you should have your car seen to as soon as you can.

  • Vibration. Your brake pedal, steering wheel or whole vehicle judders when you apply the brake. This may mean that your surfaces of your discs (rotors) need machining. (If necessary, we’ll replace the discs.) More seriously, vibration may signal that you have a loose component or that your car’s steering mechanism needs repair.

  • Brake squeal. You should normally hear no, or little, noise from your brakes. If your brakes squeal or grind or make other noises, ask us to check them.

  • Squishy brakes, or brakes that don’t activate until your foot is nearly at the floor. (You may see a warning light, too.) Simply adjusting the travel of the pedal may fix this problem, but the issue could be more serious (including problems with hydraulics and wear of the brake components).

  • Grab. The opposite of squishy brakes. If your brakes bring you to a screaming halt with the slightest touch, this may indicate linings contaminated with grease or oil — or a more serious issue, like a loose or broken part that could fail in an emergency. In other words, ask us to take a look, if you value your safety.