Power Brake Boosters

What is a Power Brake Booster?

Putting the brakes on your car's momentum takes a lot of effort. Thankfully power brakes are the de facto standard on almost every sedan, truck, minivan and SUV on the market today. It's the job of the power brake booster to give your foot that extra strength it needs to bring a Ford Explorer to a controlled stop. But the power brake booster can't do it alone.

Power Brake Booster Vacuum Pumps & Check Valves

On most vehicles, the power brake booster unit houses a large diaphragm inside a wide, short cylinder. That diaphragm requires engine vacuum to operate, but only the vacuum. That's where the power brake check valve comes into play. The power brake check valve is a one-way valve that ensures only engine vacuum makes it to the power brake booster. If the brake pedal on your Mazda 3 becomes harder to push than it was at one time, a simple brake check valve replacement or brake check valve repair kit could put things right again.

Automotive design has come a long way since the days of rod-activated manual brakes. Laws have required anti-lock braking systems as standard equipment on commuter vehicles for decades, and for good reason. Thanks to fast acting brake pumps that can modulate braking pressure faster than one's own foot, drivers have avoided countless accidents. Newer brake-by-wire vehicles like the Toyota Prius Hybrid take things a step further by using a brake pedal simulator to send a signal to the brake pump. The brake pump then applies pressure to the brake fluid in the system to slow down and stop the vehicle.

Power Brake Booster Replacement or Repair with NAPA

When it comes to driving quality and road safety, one of the most overlooked automotive services is a simple brake fluid bleed. Your braking system uses special bleeder screws to let the air bubbles out of the brake hydraulic system. Unfortunately, these little bleeder screws have a habit of seizing up and snapping off, leaving you with a mess and a potentially escalating problem. Luckily new brake bleeder screws are very affordable and easy to install.

Need to fix your brakes in a hurry? Take advantage of Curbside Pickup at participating NAPA Auto Parts stores when you shop through NAPAonline. Simply pick the Buy Online, Pickup in Store option during checkout. You'll get an email when your order is ready. Don't feel like leaving the house? Get Free One-Day Shipping on 160,000+ parts.

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Are you skeptical about replacing your own power brake booster or bleeding your brake pump in your home garage? Trust the experts at your local NAPA Auto Care center to handle it and any other repairs your trusty commuter needs. Let our ASE certified technicians diagnose your vehicle so you can Get Up & Go.