The 2003 Chevrolet Silverado is a member of the first generation of Chevy’s full-size pick-up line that replaced the C and K models. It is also the counterpart to GMC’s Sierra. The two truck lines closely resemble each other and share many parts, which lowered design, inventory, and acquisition costs. This generation lasted eight years, […]

Like commercial aircraft landing gear, backhoe buckets and racing jacks, your vehicle’s brakes are driven by a powerful liquid-based system. This pressurized, sealed system uses the muscle pressure of a hydraulic medium to slow your vehicle when you press the brake pedal. Brake fluid, regulated by the Department of Transportation, is hazardous and must be […]

When I heard a grinding sound from the rear of my 2005 Envoy, it reminded me that I hadn’t checked the rear brakes in too long. Once I pulled the rear wheels off, I found that the rear pads had gotten so low that they wore deep grooves into the rotors. Replacing the pads and […]

Chevrolet offered the 2002 S10 pickup truck in the base and LS trim packages. Both sub-models came stock with a 2.2-liter, inline four-cylinder engine that produced 120 horsepower and 140 foot-pounds of torque. A 4.3-liter V-6 was available as an option. Rear-wheel drive came standard on all S-10 models, but both sub-models could be equipped […]

Badge engineering — the automotive industry’s tendency to create "new" models by simply changing a model’s name — is no stranger to General Motors and none of these engineering jobs were as obvious as the introduction of the Tahoe in 1995. Essentially, GM grew tired of distinguishing the full-size Blazer from the midsize S-10 Blazer, […]

The RAV4 hit the U.S. market in 1996, two years after it made its debut in Japan. Throughout its lifespan, the RAV4 steadily became more refined. The 2005 RAV4 came standard with four-wheel disc brakes and a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 161 horsepower. Just recently, the front brake pads on my 2005 RAV4 started […]

Your car’s brake light switch works like a relay that tells the brake lights to turn on when you press down on the brake. If your brake lights do not work, and you have tested the bulbs and know that they are not broken or dead, it could be that your brake light switch needs […]

The parking brake prevents a car from moving when it is parked. The brake is a vital component of a vehicle and requires constant care. A brake will begin to fail when the rubber hose covering the cables begins to wear out. This allows water, salt and other debris to get on the metal cable, […]

Your car’s proportional valve regulates the amount of pressure applied to the rear brakes, minimizing rear wheel lock up. The valve also helps compensate for differences in breaking conditions when you drive by elevating some of the pressure going to the rear brakes and applying it your car’s front break system. Like with any car […]

The runout of a disk brake rotor is a measure of how much the rotor wobbles as it turns. Runout is measured by placing the probe of a dial indicator against the rotor and taking readings at a minimum of eight points around the rim of the rotor as the rotor is rotated by hand. […]

The brake master cylinder provides hydraulic pressure for the entire braking system. When the brake pedal is depressed, a push rod activates the master cylinder and pushes brake fluid to all four brakes at each corner of the vehicle. When the master cylinder requires replacement, it must be removed from the vehicle, which means the […]

It can be tricky to find the cause of dragging brakes on a trailer. Several problems or malfunctioning parts can make trailer brakes activate by themselves. Dragging brakes usually don’t lock up completely. It’s common for the wheels to still turn, but skid as they move across less solid surfaces like gravel. Brakes that drag […]

Car brake repair is one of the largest components of the auto repair industry. Not every squeak you hear is a problem, however. Learn to identify what the sounds mean and you may save yourself some money. Promoted by Dust Accumulation In normal operation, auto brakes produce dust from the grinding and pressure associated with […]

Not only are squeaky or grinding brakes loud and embarrassing, but they can also be dangerous. The noise is a clear indication that you need to adjust, clean or most likely replace your brakes. Jeep Cherokees are equipped with drum brakes in the rear instead of disc brakes. These type of brakes differ from disc […]