In this article, we’ll be talking about the most common symptoms of a bad brake booster.
The brake booster is one of the most important parts of your car’s brake system.
It enables you to stop a heavy car with just the mild press of your foot.
Here’s how to recognize when the brake booster starts causing problems and perhaps prevent further, bigger issues.
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1. THE BRAKE PEDAL IS HARDER AND HIGHER THAN USUAL
One of the first symptoms of a bad brake booster you’ll notice is that the brake pedal gets much harder than usual.
The feeling is almost the same as when you turn off the engine and then press the brake pedal.
Also, the pedal may be positioned higher than usual.
If you want to read more about how to drive a car with brake failure, click here.
2. THE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASES
As the pedal gets harder, the stopping distance will also increase drastically.
Since the brake booster is losing power, you need more force to press the pedal, or you may even need to pump the pedal several times.
3. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS
After this, you’ll probably notice the check engine light appears.
Since the vacuum for the brake booster comes from the engine, when the booster is faulty, some of that air goes back into the engine and then triggers the check engine light.
For more information about the most common reasons for the check engine light, click here.
4. YOU HEAR A HISSING SOUND
Another of the more common symptoms of a bad brake booster is a strong hissing sound, similar to the one that you hear when pressing the brake pedal when the engine is off.
The hissing may be present all the time, even while the engine is running, or only when you press the brake pedal.
5. THE ENGINE KEEPS STALLING WHEN YOU PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL
The last and most dramatic symptom is that the engine stalls when you press the brake pedal.
This happens when the diaphragm inside the booster is severely damaged and leaks air into the engine.
Once there’s more air, the engine bogs down and stalls.
CONCLUSION
The brake booster is not a common car problem. It usually gets faulty due to bad driving habits or some kind of tampering.
On most cars, it lasts as long as the car itself.
But if you notice any of these symptoms of a bad brake booster, solve the problem immediately, since it is a matter of safety.
Written by: Sibin Spasojevic
Former car technician, life-long car and DIY enthusiast, author for Despairrepair.com
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