How Does A Honda’s Brake System Work?
Your new Honda is a complex marvel of automotive ingenuity, innovation, and engineering. It’s made up of thousands of different parts which all must work together flawless. As part of a new series, we’ve teamed up with our Honda Certified Master Techs here at your hometown Honda new and used car dealership near Ocala, Honda of Ocala, to educate you about the many important components that comprise your award-winning Honda.
In this installment, we’ll take an up-close look at how your Honda’s brakes work.
If you remember the classic TV cartoon show, “The Flintstones,” you’ll recall that Fred used his bare feet to bring his stone-age car to a stop. Ouch! Unlike Fred, when you push down on the brake pedal, it sets into motion a series of events that begin to slow your Honda, bringing it safely to a stop.
Here are some of the major parts of a typical brake system:
- Brake Disc Rotors
- Brake Drums
- Brake Pads
- Calipers
- Master Cylinder
- Brake Fluid Reservoir
- Hydraulic Brake Lines
- Emergency Brake
Leverage, Hydraulics & Friction.
It helps to know something about leverage, hydraulics, and friction, vital forces that combine to make your brakes actually work. The brake pedal is actually a cleverly designed lever that multiplies the force of your foot pushing down on it. When you do so, the pedal forces brake fluid through hydraulic lines under pressure, squeezing the brake pads contained within the calipers against either side of the brake rotor or the inside of the brake drum until the wheels come to a stop.
A Work Of Friction.
Friction measures how hard it is to slide on an object over another. Different materials slide either easier or harder over one another. That’s why today’s modern brake pads are made out of materials that provide greater friction against the metal. Of course, all that heat buildup (think about rubbing your hands together very quickly) means you have to have materials sturdy enough to withstand it, such as the ceramic used in today’s modern brake pads. You’ll also see the brake rotors on many cars being “ventilated” with tiny holes to further dissipate heat.
A Pressing Matter.
The Master Cylinder and its “slave” cylinders supply the needed hydraulic pressure to the brake system through a system of combination valves. There are two circuits, with two wheels on each circuit. This is a safety feature on most all modern vehicles. If there is a leak in the lines of one circuit, it won’t affect the other two wheels, allowing you to stop your vehicle.
Emergency Brake & Anti-Lock Brakes.
The Emergency Brake is altogether different. It’s a separate, secondary system that doesn’t rely on the primary brake system to operate. Most common emergency brakes use a combination of levers and cables to operate the brake pads on the rear wheels. Electronic parking brakes like the kind you’ll find the new 2017 Honda Ridgeline for sale near Ocala and the 2017 Honda Pilot for sale near Marion County, FL use an electric motor to tighten the emergency brake cable instead of doing so manually.
Most people use the emergency brake as a parking brake. It should not be used to stop the car unless as a last resort if the brake system fails.
A final word about Anti-Lock Brakes, or “ABS.” ABS come into play when you have to apply your brakes in a hurry or on a slippery surface. ABS uses a series of sensors, pumps, and valves to rapidly “pump” the brakes up to 15 times per second, which results in the characteristic pulse when ABS is working. The purpose is to maximize braking power by keeping the brakes and tires just to the point before they will lock up. That’s why you should never pump the brakes on an ABS-equipped vehicle, which will just cause the car to take longer to stop. Apply the brakes firmly and let the ABS take it from there.
Get A Break From The High Cost Of Auto Repair At Honda At Ocala
Want to stop the high cost of getting your Honda serviced or repaired in its tracks? Then take advantage of the money-saving auto service deals at our Honda of Ocala Service Department. Whether it’s a brake job or an oil change, our factory-trained Master Techs will repair your car right. We also make it easy to schedule auto service online with our Honda service specials coupons. We invite you to browse our Honda service specials and use our Honda coupons ASAP!
Visit our conveniently located auto repair shop near The Villages, FL at 1800 SW College Road, Ocala, FL 34471. Or call our Service Department today at 352-353-3028. Our Honda dealership is waiting to service your used SUV or used honda fit, that's why we are a go-to Honda dealer out of competing dealerships in Ocala, FL!
