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Troubleshooting Common Classic Car Brake System Problems

Brake System Troubleshooting

If you have ever spent a frustrating weekend trying to figure out what’s wrong with your brakes, we feel your pain. It’s not uncommon for the average weekend garage guy to take on brake system woes, but the trouble starts when you tackle the project without a plan.

For example, you might be quick to assume that your soft pedal is due to an aging master cylinder, but before going there, you need to start with a vacuum test and a hydraulic test (in that order) first

Being systematic with your diagnostics will save you time and money by replacing parts that aren’t the root cause of your problem.

Remember, brakes are a safety system designed to keep you, your passengers, and the other motorists on the road out of harm’s way. If your brakes are not performing properly, get to the root cause of the problem. Skip the band-aid solutions. Determine the problem. Then, fix it.

We have a simple-to-follow, time-tested, step-by-step brake system troubleshooting guide developed for you by professional brake technicians. If you already received your 2015 MP Brakes Catalog, turn to page 69 of the catalog to get started. Or, simply click this link to download our brake system trouble shooting guide in PDF format.

We always welcome calls from customers when they are struggling to solve their brake problems so don’t be a stranger. We’ll be glad to lend a hand. That said, after you finish describing your problem, one of our team members is going to ask which steps you have completed in the troubleshooting guide. Taking the time to be systematic about your diagnostic approach will help us help you and get you back on the road where you belong!