“How To Tell If Master Cylinder Needs Replacing“? This writing will tell you about the symptoms of a failing master cylinder to have a timely replacement!
Contents
What is the master cylinder in your vehicle?
The Master cylinder is an integral component in the braking system to ensure the vehicles’ safety function to be driven on the road.
The Master cylinder is designed to generate pressure for the braking system to function. In particular, the brake master cylinder transmits the pressure from the foot brake pedal into hydraulic pressure to squeeze the brake pads by the brake calipers to slow the car’s movement.
Therefore, the master cylinder is an integral part that the driver has to avoid the car at risk of an accident on the road. However, like many parts of the vehicle, the brake master cylinder might fail over time. It would be best to notice the symptoms before it becomes more serious, which affects your driving safety and your vehicle’s life cycle.
How to Tell If Master Cylinder Needs Replacing
A faulty master cylinder will lead to a failing brake that causes the vehicle not safe to drive.
Usually, when a master cylinder fails, it will have a few symptoms alerting the driver to replace it. This writing will provide you three main symptoms so that the driver can be aware of having those related components checked by a qualified mechanic.
Unusual brake pedal behavior
One of the first clues of a failing master cylinder is an abnormal brake pedal feel. When you depress the pedal if you feel it spongy and a bit slowly sinks to the floor, it might be the sign showing that the master cylinder becomes terrible.
Under normal conditions, the driver should feel firm when depressing the brake pedal. The brake pedal is linked with the master cylinder through a pushing rod. When the brake pedal is depressed, the master cylinder will generate an adequate hydraulic pressure level to activate the braking in the front and rear wheels.
Thereby, if you feel a spongy pedal when the seals inside the master cylinder wear off over time, the air will be leaked generating rust in the brake line. Besides, air bubbles will prevent the brake fluid from flowing appropriately, causing damage to the brake lines.
Those reasons, which are linked to a failing master cylinder, will contribute to a spongy pedal or sinking pedal to the floor when it is depressed.
Such a symptom is quite dangerous to the braking system and the vehicle and people in the car. Thereby, you should make sure to take care of the master cylinder before the brake pedal cannot work well.
Low or contaminated brake fluid level
Another symptom showing a bad master cylinder is low or contaminated brake fluid level. While the master cylinder has a few rubber seals on it, the rubber seal wears out over time, causing dirt, debris to find their way to the brake fluid through the opening of the worn-out seal.
Such contamination may turn brake fluid into a brown or dark color; it affects the master cylinder’s hydraulic pressure, making your vehicle difficult to stop.
Thereby, if you find a visible trace of brake fluid on the floor, it could be a sign for you to go to a qualified mechanic to check the master cylinder, brake fluid before they get worse.
The brake warning light comes on
Finally, another symptom that is usually seen for vehicles with a failing master cylinder is the brake warning light turned on.
When you engage your foot on the brake pedal, the pressure transmitted from your foot to the master cylinder will push the piston to move in the cylinder. Then such movement will let brake fluid move through brake lines and braking components in each wheel.
The sensor is located in the brake fluid reservoir to share information indicating that there is enough brake fluid in the reservoir or not. If there is not enough fluid in the reservoir, the brake warning light will be turned on the dashboard.
Last Words
To sum up, it will be difficult to ignore the symptoms of a failing master cylinder. The master cylinder is an integral component in the braking system, ensuring to stop or slow the car’s movement as the driver wishes.
The brake master cylinder can fail in function if there are several symptoms, such as unusual brake pedal feel, low or contaminated brake fluids, brake warning lights turning on. If you notice those symptoms mentioned above, have your vehicle checked by a professional mechanic to ensure your driving safety.
Apart from quality maintenance on brake pads and brake fluids, it’s worth noting that having a timely replacement of the master cylinder as one of the critical maintenance will also improve the car’s life cycle.
Hey, Naomi O’Colman here.
With years working at an auto repair shop in Texas and passionate about the auto industry. I want to share with my readers the best quality products through my well-researched reviews as well as fixing minor defects in your car.
