Mercedes-Benz Parts 101: How do Brakes Work?

If you’re not extremely familiar with Mercedes-Benz parts but you drive a Mercedes-Benz vehicle, that’s ok! You don’t need to know the entire car inside and out in order to be able to appreciate it and drive it. However, for your safety, it never hurts to learn a little bit more about how your vehicle functions so that you may have more insight into what is happening in the event of an emergency.

Kinetic Energy

Taking you back to eighth-grade science, you may remember a little something called kinetic energy. Everything that moves is harnessing kinetic energy, and that’s exactly what your car is doing when you’re driving. Brakes use friction to convert that kinetic energy into heat, which slows it down.

When you press on the brake pedal, various parts, as well as hydraulic fluid, work together to apply force and absorb that heat into the brake pads. Stopping a car can heat your brakes up to 950 degrees or more, so it’s very important to have well-maintained brakes.

Maintaining Your Brakes

Replacing the brake pads as needed is your first step toward having properly functioning brakes. However, when you get brake service, our technicians will also check the fluid, lines, and other major parts to ensure nothing is deteriorating and that it’s all lubricated as it should be.

Brake service should be conducted at least twice a year or as often as needed. Depending on your driving habits and vehicle type, you may wear down brakes more quickly or slowly than other drivers.

Visit our Mercedes-Benz service center with any other questions you may have. We are ready to assist you with all of the brake-related services your vehicle may need!