2 Possible Reasons Your Brakes Feel Spongy When You Step On The Pedal
Lately, whenever you try to engage the brakes on your car, you may have noticed that the pedal feels soft and spongy. You may have also found that it takes more pressure to get the brakes to work or have to step on the pedal a couple of times.
If so, you need to get your car's braking system checked out by a professional so that they can find the issue and fix it, allowing you to drive safely on the road. While checking the system, there are a couple of possible causes that they may discover as to why your brakes feel spongy whenever you step on the pedal.
1. Brake Line Is Damaged And Is Leaking Fluid Or Has Air In It
One possible reason why your car's brakes feel soft and spongy may be an issue with the brake lines. Whenever the brakes feel this way, the primary reason is that there is not enough pressure built up to move the calipers to depress the pads against the discs.
One cause of this problem is that the brake lines have been damaged and are leaking fluid. It is also possible that there is air in the lines have air in them along with the loss of brake fluid, which will dramatically decrease the hydraulic pressure. A professional can look at the lines to see if they need to be replaced.
2. Braking System's Master Cylinder Is Worn Out Or Damaged
Another possible reason why your brakes are spongy is that there is a problem with the master cylinder. This cylinder receives the signal from the pedal to deliver pressure through the lines and engage the brakes.
If the master cylinder is worn out or damaged, it will not be able to build up the needed pressure. It may also start leaking brake fluid if it is cracked. If the master cylinder fails completely, you will be unable to stop your vehicle, so it needs to be fixed or replaced as soon as possible by a repair technician.
If your brakes feel spongy whenever you try to use them, there could be air in the brake lines or fluid leaking from them. There may also be an issue with the master cylinder that is not allowing it to apply the required amount of pressure to fully engage the brakes. Whatever is causing the problem, you need to take your car to a shop that offers brake repairs services to have it fixed as soon as possible.
For more information on brakes, contact a professional near you.