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For 1990-2009 cars only
Makes 🢒 Chevrolet 🢒 1998 🢒 Monte Carlo 🢒 Suspension 🢒 Tires and Wheels 🢒 Brake System Diagnosis

Brake System Diagnosis

Symptom

Causes

Excessive Brake Pedal Travel
    • Leaking brake line or connection.
    • Leaking piston or axle seal.
    • Leaking master cylinder (internal).
    • Air in brake system.
    • Contaminated or improper brake fluid.
    • Uneven brake lining wear.
    • Improper thickness variation in rotor.
    • Excessive lateral runout in rotor.
    • Brake assembly attachments missing or loose (including splash shield).
    • Improper rear brake adjustment.
    • Excessive vehicle loading.

Brake Pedal Travel Gradually Increases
    • Leaking brake line or connection.
    • Leaking piston seal.
    • Leaking master cylinder (internal).
    • Leaking ABS Modulator (Internal).
    • Restricted passage in the vacuum booster.
    • Damaged vacuum booster.
    • Restricted brake fluid passage.
    • Improper Rear Brake Adjustment.

Excessive Brake Pedal Effort
    • Leaking vacuum or booster system.
    • Restricted passage in the vacuum booster.
    • Damaged vacuum booster.
    • Worn out brake lining.
    • Glazed brake lining.
    • Incorrect brake lining material.
    • Contaminated brake lining.
    • Brake lining damage by abuse.
    • Restricted brake fluid passage.
    • Brake pedal linkage interference or binding.
    • Operator riding the brake pedal.
    • Low engine vacuum.
    • Restricted hydraulic line to the booster.
    • Excessive vehicle loading.

Excessive Braking Action
    • Leaking vacuum or booster system.
    • Restricted passage in vacuum booster.
    • Damaged vacuum booster system.
    • Worn out brake lining.
    • Uneven brake lining wear.
    • Incorrect brake lining material.
    • Brake lining damage by abuse.
    • Improper rotor or drum surface finish.
    • Scored rotor or drum.
    • Brake assembly attachments missing or loose (including splash shield).

Brakes Slow To Respond
    • Contaminated or improper brake fluid.
    • Leaking vacuum or booster system.
    • Restricted passage in the vacuum booster.
    • Damaged vacuum booster.
    • Glazed brake lining.
    • Restricted brake fluid passage.
    • Brake pedal linkage interference or binding.
    • Sticking caliper or caliper pistons.
    • Low engine vacuum.
    • Restricted hydraulic line to the booster.

Brakes Slow To Release
    • Contaminated or improper brake fluid.
    • Restricted passage in the vacuum booster.
    • Damaged vacuum booster.
    • Restricted brake fluid passage.
    • Brake pedal linkage interference or binding.
    • Sticking caliper or caliper pistons.
    • Parking brake not releasing.
    • Caliper to knuckle clearance.

Brakes Drag
    • Contaminated or improper brake fluid.
    • Brake assembly attachments missing or loose (including splash shield).
    • Restricted brake fluid passage.
    • Improperly adjusted stoplamp switch.
    • Improperly adjusted cruise control vacuum dump.
    • Brake pedal linkage interference or binding.
    • Improperly adjusted parking brake.
    • Loose front suspension parts.
    • Operator riding the brake pedal.
    • Sticking caliper or caliper pistons.

Uneven Braking Action (Side to Side)
    • Contaminated or improper brake fluid.
    • Worn out brake lining.
    • Uneven brake lining wear.
    • Glazed brake lining.
    • Incorrect brake lining material.
    • Contaminated brake lining.
    • Brake lining damage by abuse.
    • Scored rotor or drum.
    • Brake assembly attachments missing or loose (including splash shield).
    • Restricted brake fluid passage.
    • Incorrect front wheel alignment.
    • Incorrect tire pressure.
    • Loose front suspension parts.
    • Sticking caliper or caliper pistons.
    • Parking brake not releasing.
    • Caliper to knuckle clearance.

Uneven Braking Action (Front to Rear)
    • Leaking brake line or connection.
    • Leaking piston or axle seal.
    • Leaking master cylinder (internal).
    • Air in brake system.
    • Contaminated or improper brake fluid.
    • Worn out brake lining.
    • Uneven brake lining wear.
    • Glazed brake lining.
    • Incorrect brake lining material.
    • Contaminated brake lining.
    • Brake lining damage by abuse.
    • Scored rotor or drum.
    • Brake assembly attachments missing or loose (including splash shield).
    • Restricted brake fluid passage.
    • Improperly adjusted parking brake.
    • Sticking caliper or caliper pistons.
    • Improper rear brake adjustment.
    • Excessive Vehicle Loading.

Scraping Noise From Brakes
    • Worn out brake lining.
    • Uneven brake lining wear.
    • Contaminated brake lining.
    • Brake lining damage by abuse.
    • Brake assembly attachments missing or loose (including splash shield).
    • Loose front suspension parts.

Brakes Squeak Without Application
    • Worn out brake lining.
    • Uneven brake lining wear.
    • Glazed brake lining.
    • Incorrect brake lining material.
    • Contaminated brake lining.
    • Brake lining damage by abuse.
    • Scored Rotor or drum.

Brakes Squeak During Application
    • Worn out brake lining.
    • Uneven brake lining wear.
    • Glazed brake lining.
    • Incorrect brake lining material.
    • Contaminated brake lining.
    • Brake lining damage by abuse.
    • Scored rotor or drum.
    • Brake assembly attachments missing or loose (including splash shield).

Brakes Chatter (Roughness)
    • Scored rotor or drum.
    • Improper thickness variation.
    • Excessive lateral runout.
    • Brake assembly attachments missing or loose (including splash shield).
    • Loose front suspension parts.
    • Out-of-balance wheel assembly.
    • Improperly torqued wheel nuts.
    • Poor drum surface finish.

Brakes Groan at End of Stop

Brake lining damage by abuse.

Brake Warning Lamp ON
    • Leaking brake line or connection.
    • Leaking piston or axle seal.
    • Leaking master cylinder (internal).
    • Air in brake system.
    • Contaminated or improper brake fluid.
    • Uneven brake lining wear.
    • Parking brake switch circuit grounded.
    • Parking brake not releasing.
    • Low brake fluid.

Premature Lining Wear Out
    • Leaking brake line or connection.
    • Improperly adjusted stoplamp switch.
    • Improperly adjusted cruise control vacuum dump.
    • Brake pedal linkage interference or binding.
    • Out-of-balance wheel assembly.
    • Operator riding brake pedal.
    • Caliper to knuckle clearance.

Parking Brake Won't Hold.

Improperly adjusted parking brake.

Parking Brake Won't Release
    • Parking brake cables frozen.
    • Parking brake cables corroded.

Brake Pulsation

    • Leaking brake line or connection.
    • Leaking piston or axle seal.
    • Incorrect lining material.
    • Contaminated brake lining.
    • Brake linings damaged by abuse.
    • Scored rotor or drum.
    • Improper thickness variation.
    • Excessive lateral runout.
    • Out-of-balancer wheel assembly.
    • Improperly torqued wheel nuts.
    • Poor drum surface finish.

Brake Pulls
    • Leaking brake line or connection.
    • Leaking piston or axle seal.
    • Uneven brake lining wear.
    • Incorrect lining material.
    • Contaminated brake lining.
    • Brake linings damaged by abuse.
    • Improper rotor surface finish.
    • Incorrect front wheel alignment.
    • Incorrect tire pressure.
    • Loose front suspension parts.
    • Caliper to knuckle clearance.