If your car feels like it’s trying to do the Cha Cha Slide when you step on the brakes, you might need to turn the radio down to curb its impulse to dance. If that doesn’t correct the issue, it’s time to look for some possible causes to figure out why your car pulls to one side or the other when braking. All humor aside, braking issues are serious and should be addressed immediately.
Here’s what to do if your car pulls when braking:
- Check to see whether or not it quickly corrects itself. If it does, your calipers probably need to be cleaned on that side.
- If your car continues to pull sporadically when braking visit a mechanic for further diagnostics.
This article will look at various reasons a car may pull to one side when the brakes are applied and offer some possible solutions.
Can Brakes Cause a Car to Pull?
If it seems your car wants to follow Fleetwood Mac’s instructions and go its own way, check your tire pressure before you look at the brakes. A low tire on one side of your car could cause a pulling sensation. You should also ask yourself when you last had your tire alignment cared for. This could also cause your car to pull.
Once you are sure you have all of your tires inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended level and your tires are properly aligned, determine if the pulling has stopped. If it hasn’t, it’s time to start looking at the brakes.
Before digging into potential issues, it’s important to first clearly understand the part of your braking system you’re going to be working on.
Components of Your Vehicle’s Brakes
There are several possible areas of concern when talking about your brakes, causing your car to pull. This article is going to assume you have a vehicle make of the year 2000 or more recent. With that in mind, the focus will be on disc brakes.
Today’s vehicles typically have disc brakes on all four wheels. When manufacturers were transitioning from Drum brakes in the 1970s, they used to put Disc brakes on the front wheels and Drum brakes on the back wheels. This is important prior to the sophisticated anti-locking brake systems (ABS) of current cars.
The most common areas of your brake that might cause your car to pull one way or another are:
- The caliper
- The pistons
- The rotor
- The brake pads
- The brake hose
- Or brake fluid issues
One Issue at a Time
Some of these problems come with a different feel, so it’s in your best interest to pay close attention to what else the car is doing when it is pulling.
- Calipers
If your car starts to pull, then quickly goes back to being responsive, chances are the brake calipers are dirty and need to be cleaned.
To do this, remove the calipers and the slides and thoroughly clean them with sandpaper. Once they’re clean, lightly lubricate them with some bearing grease for disc brakes (don’t get any of this grease on the other brake components) and reattach them.
Note: Use caution when you take the calipers off. DO NOT allow them to dangle from the brake hose as that can damage the hose or hose connection.
- Pistons
Related to caliper issues, if the pistons are damaged, old, or worn, they will cause the caliper to stick and not engage.
Resolving this requires replacing the pistons and rebuilding the calipers to ensure they work properly.
- Wheel Cylinders
Speaking of the pistons…if the wheel cylinders are leaking, they will not allow the pistons to engage properly. This creates an issue because the pistons are what cause the brake shoe to press against the drum.
If the wheel cylinders are damaged, they must be replaced.
- Rotors
When you depress your brakes, do you notice a slight shaking or shimmy in addition to the pulling to one side? If you do, the chances are good that your rotor is warped.
If you are someone who likes to wait until the last minute to apply your brakes or if you ride your brakes, the resulting extreme heat buildup or overuse has probably resulted in a warped rotor. The rotor isn’t literally warped, but it has become misshapen and needs to be resurfaced.
If the damage is mild, you can use a machine to grind it back to a smooth, consistent surface. Most people are concerned with their ability to get the rotor to an even measurement. And rightly so. The best option is to replace the rotor with a new one.
- Brake Pads
If your brake pads are worn or have contaminants on them, the fix is straight-forward. Replace them.
Brake pads can end up with any number of foreign objects such as grease, oil, water, etc., that could prevent them from making a solid connection with the rotor. These issues are often permanent and can’t be repaired, so it isn’t worth the time investment to try to clean them.
- Brake Hose
If your brake hose has a blockage or a leak, it will not provide ample brake fluid to your brakes.
The best way to figure out if this is the issue is to use an infrared, non-contact thermometer to measure the heat at the wheel hub. If one wheel on an axel is hotter than the other, you will want to examine the hose on the higher temperature side for leakage or a blockage that needs to be cleared.
- Brake Fluid
If your brake pedal depresses significantly more easily than you’re used to, you’re probably low on brake fluid. Provided you don’t have a leak in your hose, brake fluid container, or wheel cylinders, refill your fluid to its appropriate level.
Other Possible Issues Causing Your Car to Pull When Braking
If your brakes and brake lines are in good shape, the issue could be in a different part of the system. You may need to consider:
- A Master Cylinder Leak
If you depress your brake pedal and the response seems slow, or the pedal depresses farther than it normally would, you probably have a leak in your master cylinder.
Your master cylinder is housed on the driver’s side of the engine, mounted to the firewall. There are two separate containers that hold fluid. This way, if one side fails, the other will still allow the car to stop.
Once you’ve identified where the leak is originating, seal it, or replace the component.
- Wheel Bearings
If your wheel bearings are loose, they may cause your car to pull. When you get your tire alignment performed, have the wheel bearings checked at the same time.
When you are in for your oil change, if you notice even a slight pull, make sure to mention it to the technician, so the issue can be observed and resolved.
Get That Car Back on Track
The bottom line is there are several components to your braking system and, therefore, many different things that can cause your car to pull in a direction other than what you want.
If you’re not a DIYer or mechanically inclined, there’s absolutely no shame in that. Everybody needs a job they can excel at. If yours isn’t automotive, brake mechanics specialize in making sure you are safe on the road.
If you know your tires are properly inflated and your car is still pulling, take your car in for an alignment and/or a brake inspection. It will cost you much less money and stress than a terrible accident would.
