Symptoms of a Bad Brake Booster
Symptoms of a Bad Brake Booster Because of the prevalence of disc brakes, power-boosted braking systems now come standard on nearly all new automobiles and recent-model used vehicles. Disc brakes are not self-energizing like drum brakes, so they require a power brake booster to keep pedal effort reasonable for all drivers. But like any human-made device, power brake boosters can go bad. Booster Failure The primary symptom of power brake booster failure is a high, hard pedal that requires greater than normal pedal pressure to stop the car. You may also notice that it takes a much longer distance than normal to stop your car The high, hard pedal and longer stopping distance mean you are not getting power boost. Proper Function A properly functioning power brake system should provide power assist on first application of the brakes every time, with normal pedal travel, pedal pressure and stopping distance. However, if your brake pedal is low, spongy, requires pumping or fails un...