The driver must be familiar with the operation of the braking system and the generally accepted operating recommendations. This will allow you to make a qualitative comparison and determine the causes of the problem.
An experienced mechanic will always map out the route he will use for all road tests when diagnosing brake problems. The selected road must be sufficiently level and level. Gravel or bumpy roads are not suitable. the surface does not allow the tires to evenly grip the road. Roads with a convex profile are also not suitable, because. on such a road, most of the mass falls on the wheels that are lower. After the development and constant use of the route, it will be possible to isolate a component depending on the road surface from the test results.
Before a road test, obtain a full description of the customer's problem or suspicious conditions. Using this description, an experienced mechanic will be able to correlate possible causes with signs of a malfunction. Certain elements can be considered sources of the problem, while others can be excluded from suspicion. More importantly, the customer's description helps identify dangerous conditions that should be checked or corrected prior to road testing. The description will also help the mechanic develop a basic road test approach, i.e. reduce the problem to specific elements, a specific vehicle speed, or a specific condition.
Begin the road test with a general brake test. Based on the description of the problem, test the brakes at various vehicle speeds using both light and hard brake pressure.
If the problem clears up during this check, make sure it matches the description given by the customer before the road test. If the problem is not clear, try to reproduce the problem state using the information provided in the description.
If the problem condition persists, refer to the Symptom Table.
| Symptom | Possible reason | Action |
| Noise in the brakes | Switch to PINPOINT TEST A | |
| Vibration when brakes are applied | Switch to PINPOINT-TEST B | |
| Pull when braking | Switch to PINPOINT-TEST C | |
| Feeling "softness" pedals | Switch to PINPOINT-TEST D | |
| Pedal going down too fast | Switch to PINPOINT-TEST E | |
| Pedal goes down too slowly | Switch to PINPOINT-TEST F | |
| Excessive force when pressing the brake pedal | Switch to PINPOINT-TEST G | |
| Blocking of brakes at easy pressing a brake pedal. | Switch to PINPOINT-TEST H | |
| Sticky brakes | Switch to PINPOINT TEST I | |
| Increased / erratic brake pedal travel | Switch to PINPOINT-TEST J | |
| Red indicator light always on | ||
| Slow or incomplete brake pedal return. | Switch to PINPOINT-K |
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