Your Acura’s brake system is useless without one word: pressure. When it comes to pressure, there’s no part more important to keeping you safe than the brake master cylinder.
The master cylinder is crucial to your Acura’s brakes working properly. If it’s ever damaged or not working properly, you’re putting yourself (and your Acura) in danger.
In this article we’ll explain how you can identify the signs of a damaged brake master cylinder, and how to tell when it’s time for a replacement OEM part.
How a Brake Master Cylinder Works
The brake master cylinder converts the pressure you apply to the brake pedal into hydraulic pressure by pushing brake fluid through the brake lines. The hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder is applied to the brake calipers, which then squeeze the brake pads to stop your Acura.
Since the brake cylinder pays such an important role in the brake system, it’s important to pay attention to the condition of your Acura’s master cylinder. Here’s what to watch out for if you want to keep an eye out for signs that your brake master cylinder might be damaged and in need of replacement.
Signs of a Damaged Master Cylinder
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Brake Warning Light: The first sign of a damaged master cylinder is the most obvious—the brake warning light on your dashboard. This light is triggered by a sensor in the brake fluid reservoir attached to the master cylinder.
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Brake Fluid Leak: Another sure sign of a damaged master cylinder would be any leaked brake fluid coming from the brake fluid reservoir. The master cylinder needs a certain level of brake fluid to create the hydraulic pressure and your vehicle will have problems slowing down without it. If you suspect a leak but don’t see a telltale puddle beneath your car, you can check near and around your Acura’s wheels; you might even need to remove your wheels to spot a small leak right at the brake caliper.
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Contaminated Fluid: Speaking of brake fluid, another symptom of a damaged master cylinder is the fluid contamination that can be caused by a worn-out seal. Visually, this will look like black specks inside the fluid reservoir. Contamination can cause significant damage to your Acura’s braking system.
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Spongy Brake Pedal: Another giveaway of a damaged master cylinder is “spongy” brakes when pressure is applied to the brake pedal. This is most often a sign that your brake fluid is leaking and there is not enough in the fluid reservoir.
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Brake Drag: One final symptom of a damaged master cylinder to watch out for is “drag”, when your brake pads fail to release from the rotor even after you’ve stopped applying pressure to the brake pedal. This can be caused by multiple issues with the master cylinder, including mechanical, hydraulic, and contamination problems.
Replacing a Damaged Master Cylinder
Once you figure out that your Acura’s brake master cylinder is indeed damaged, the next step is to replace it before you ruin your brake system and cause yourself an even more expensive issue.
Finding all the parts you need is easy with Bernardi Parts Acura. We have all of the OEM Acura parts you need, no matter the model.
For more information, please send us a message, or call our Acura parts experts at 800-924-1884.