Berkeley Auto Repair

A sticking brake caliper can be tricky because the car may still stop, and the problem can feel like a mild annoyance at first. You might notice the vehicle does not coast the way it used to, or one wheel seems to get dirty faster than the others. Then one day, you catch a hot, sharp smell after a short drive and realize something is dragging. If you learn the early clues, you can catch a sticking caliper before it cooks a rotor, ruins a set of pads, or leaves you with a pull that makes driving stressful. What A Brake Caliper Does And What Goes Wrong The caliper is the part that squeezes the brake pads against the rotor when you press the brake pedal. When you release the pedal, the caliper should let the pads back off so the wheel spins freely again. A sticking caliper happens when the release does not fully happen, so the pad keeps rubbing the rotor. This can be caused by a binding caliper piston, seized slide pins, a restricting hose, or hardware that is not mov ... read more

The Mazda CX-50 is built for drivers who want comfort during the week and adventure on the weekends. Whether you’re navigating city traffic Berkeley or the Bay Area, or heading out for longer drives, regular service plays a big role in keeping your CX-50 reliable. Skipping maintenance may not cause problems right away, but over time it can lead to reduced performance and expensive repairs, and regular maintenance is a requirement to keep manufacturer warranty in force. Routine Mazda CX-50 service usually starts with oil and filter changes, tire rotations and general inspections. We recommend oil changes every 5,000 miles or about twice a year, depending on driving habits. During these visits, our technicians will other subsystems of your vehicle, to catch early any developing problems. With passage of time, and increased mileage, your Mazda will need more care. Cabin and engine air filters will need replacement. Spark plugs are another important item, transmission fluid service ... read more