When you push down on one of the pedals in your vehicle, you expect certain actions to occur. Step on your brake pedal and the vehicle will slow or stop according to applied pressure. Press down on the accelerator, and you will pick up speed. Push in the clutch pedal to allow a change of gears in your transmission.

However, if you don't keep up with your regular maintenance or repairs, you may find that when you push down on one of these pedals, nothing happens. If it's your accelerator or clutch pedal, you'll be calling a tow truck, but if it's your brakes, someone else may be calling emergency services to extricate you from an accident.

Clutch Replacement

When you push down on your clutch pedal, the "teeth" in your clutch are disengaged, allowing you to shift your transmission to a higher or lower gear. When the clutch pedal is released, the teeth re-engage at the new gear setting.

Over time, the teeth of the clutch are worn away, especially by new drivers of vehicles with manual transmissions or drivers of any experience who let their left foot hover over the clutch pedal, depressing it slightly as the vehicle is driven.

When the clutch is sufficiently worn, gear shifting becomes troublesome, and unless the clutch is replaced, impossible.

Timing Belt Replacement

The timing belt in your vehicle consists of a ribbed rubber belt or metallic chain that regulates the synchronicity of the internal components of your engine. Depending upon the configuration of your engine, extensive damage to your engine could result from a timing belt failure.

Unfortunately, there aren't any particular symptoms of a potential timing belt failure except for its age. Different manufacturers provide alternate recommendations on when a timing belt should be replaced. However, even though it is a relatively expensive service because of the labor involved, it's important to have the timing belt replaced at the suggested interval. Failure to do so may void the powertrain warranty on the vehicle, which includes the engine.

Brake Replacement

Brake pads are usually measured at service facilities whenever you have your tires rotated. When they reach a minimum thickness, pad replacement is recommended. However, you may notice symptoms of the pad while driving your vehicle.

Your brake pads contain a metal wear pin on a spring that pops out to touch lightly across the rotors when the pads need to be replaced, making a slight sound of metal scraping metal, especially when you first start to drive your vehicle.

Failure to replace brake pads will produce a louder squealing of metal on metal, as brake rotors are scored with grooves from the bare metal of the brake pads. If the pads are not then replaced, a rumbling noise will result from the bare pads pressing against the now uneven surface of the rotors.

Danger of brake failure is imminent, along with serious damage to the various components of the braking system. Maintaining your brakes is the most important vehicle service of all for your vehicle because of matter if your vehicle can move nearly as much as if it can stop on command. Check out a website like http://www.autorepairhighdesert.com/ for more information and assistance.