What Is Your Brake Pedal Trying to Tell You?

Have you ever heard the expression 'flying by the seat of your pants', which generally means that you are doing something intuitively, rather than consciously? When you drive your car you may rely on different sensations to tell you when something isn't quite right (especially with the braking system) and in this case, you may be 'driving by the ball of your foot'. What could be wrong if you're feeling something strange from the brake pedal?

Trouble Ahead?

As the vehicle's braking system is crucial to safe motoring, you need to be happy with its operation at all times. It can be very disconcerting if you feel an odd 'pulsing' sensation when you depress the brake pedal, rather than a uniform pressure.

Why This Could Be Normal

However, if you only encounter this sensation when you are braking very heavily, especially in slippery conditions, then this could be the anti-lock braking system in operation. This is a clever system that is designed to anticipate when the vehicle is about to lose traction, due to the driver applying too much pressure. If the brakes were applied heavily on a slippery surface, they would simply lock up and provide no traction whatsoever. The ABS system will therefore release the pressure applied by opening or closing a valve quickly, in order to restore control to the road wheels.

It is this type of 'on/of' action that translates to the pulsing sensation you may be feeling through the ball of your foot. It's perfectly normal for you to experience this whenever you brake heavily on a greasy or very wet road and you should be confident that the vehicle's computer system is helping you to maintain control.

When to Take Action

However, if you've noticed this type of reaction in all conditions and circumstances and even when you are braking normally, then it could be a sign that the pads themselves are worn out. When the friction material on the surface of the pads is absent it will cause them to grab at the brake discs instead of holding them smoothly to slow down the vehicle. In this case, the pulsing sensation may not be rhythmical (as it may be in the ABS situation) but it will nevertheless be your early warning sign that you need brake repairs.

What to Do Next

If you are any worried about your braking system at all it's better to be safe rather than sorry and take it in to a mechanic for a once-over.