A key component of the braking system, part of the mechanism within your vehicle that lets your car stop on time, and when you want it to, brake boosters can help you channel the foot’s force on the pedal to a quick and reliable stop. These have helped drivers today stay confident with their vehicles, have a reliable and controlled stop, and have a safe way to distribute the braking force. The average brake booster replacement cost is $124.
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Let’s dive a little deeper into how brake boosters work, the symptoms of bad brake boosters, brake booster prices, and the cost of a brake booster replacement.
What is a brake booster?
A brake booster is the component in your vehicle that is responsible for providing some extra braking power in your car. Braking systems rely on the mechanical leverage to send hydraulic fluid with enough force to push the drum cylinders to both the front and rear wheels. The travel of the brake pedal when you press it down is transferred into the cylinder’s piston and the smaller distance traveled by each brake caliper.
Today, brakes use power assistance to make sure that fluid is transferred to the pistons or the drum brake cylinders. The pistons are usually composed of one or two large diameter pistons within the floating caliper on either side of the brake rotor, which draws pads toward the disc to slow down the car.
The most common type of brake booster is a vacuum booster. A vacuum booster uses the vacuum power that has been produced by gasoline and uses it to create a partial vacuum inside of the brake booster. When you press down the brake pedal as the driver, the shaft moves through the booster to push the piston into the master cylinder.
This process also opens up a valve inside of the booster, letting air come through on just one side of the booster. The difference in pressure within the brake booster adds some extra force and power to the master cylinder piston. The master cylinder takes the mechanical pressure exerted on the brake pedal by your foot and converts it into hydraulic pressure.
This way to increase braking force without putting too much strain on the driver’s leg or too much pressure to stop correctly is what makes a brake booster so imperative to the safety of your car. The valve inside of the brake booster can keep the vacuum seal even when you turn the car off, ensuring that the driver does not lose the added assistance while braking in the off chance that your vehicle stalls.
It is also important for a driver to note that since diesel cars do not generate a vacuum, they need a separate pump to operate the booster and aid in the braking. Electric vacuum pumps are sometimes used in gasoline vehicles to make sure there is a constant vacuum for the brakes and the brake boosters.
Symptoms of a Failing Brake Booster
If you are guessing that you have a bad brake booster in your car, you will want to fix this issue quickly and as soon as possible. This could be a very dangerous and harmful problem if you do not take action. Let’s determine some of the common signs and symptoms of faulty brake boosters so you will know how much you will have to pay for a repair and the brake booster prices.
Brake Pedal Difficult to Press
The most common sign or symptom that your brake booster is bad is that the brake pedal will be difficult to press down. This can happen gradually, meaning that you will find over time it has become harder to push down with the same effect. In addition, not only will it be harder to press, but the brake pedal might not bounce back up.
If you continue to drive your car with bad brake boosters, then your car could begin rolling at speeds that are too high to maintain. This could lead to bad accidents, and other issues with your braking system, which could increase the overall repair for the brake booster prices.
Longer Braking Distance
If your car has been taking a lot longer to come to a complete stop than is normal, you might have bad brake boosters. This is due to air bubbles within the brake lines, which can reduce the pressure that is placed on your braking system, causing them to just depress and only apply very softly, increasing the distance it takes to come to a stop.
Engine Stalling
When this first happens and your engine first stalls or has trouble starting, you might think this is another issue besides the brake boosters. However, they do relate to one another, since the diaphragm inside of the brake booster can cause too much air from entering the brakes.
What is a brake booster replacement?
The braking booster will usually need to be replaced or changed out when you know that something is wrong with the braking system. In this case, since the brakes are imperative to the safety of the driver and passengers, do not drive your car to a mechanic and instead call for a towing company to remove your car.
The good news about this fix is that it shouldn’t take the mechanic a very long time to figure out if this is the real issue with your car. However, more than just the brake boosters may need to be replaced if they have also harmed other components or if other parts of the braking system are not working properly as well. You might need to get the brake pads checked to see if they need replacing as well.
Benefits of Brake Booster Replacement
Since the brakes are imperative to the workings of your ear, this is an issue that needs to be fixed as soon as possible. Repairing your car’s brake boosters means that you will be able to brake safely and smoothly. You will have an enhanced amount of control over your car and be able to take the corners faster and slow down quicker and easier.
In addition, you won’t feel like you are pressing down too hard on the brake pedal or like you are fighting with your car to slow down when you want it to. Lastly, the fuel economy of your vehicle will improve, as you will not be breaking off and on sporadically, causing an unsmooth ride.
Brake Booster Replacement – What is the process?
The mechanic will need to diagnose the problem based on the braking issue you are having in your car. This can affect the brake booster prices. Vacuum boosters work in a different manner than hydraulic brake boosters, and can take longer to determine the problem and the origin of the issue. Since these types of brake boosters are different, they are also different values in terms of brake booster prices.
To replace the brake booster, the mechanic will need to remove the master cylinder from the car, along with the hydraulic lines and the booster vacuum if you are using a vacuum booster system. This way, he can safely remove the braking booster or both of them. Once the brake boosters are removed, he can reinstall a new one and reattach the parts that he had to remove previously.
Sample Brake Booster Replacement Prices
In order to see how much you are going to have to pay for brake booster prices, we have added some sample brake booster replacement costs that can give you a better idea of how much you will spend.
First, one of the least expensive options for replacements is the Nissan Altima, with the labor coming in between $80 and $103, and the parts costs being between $138 and $282, costing a total of $219 and $385 for brake booster prices.
Another inexpensive choice for replacement is the Chevrolet Silverado, which totals around $366-$714 for the total brake booster prices.
One of the more expensive options is the Ford Focus, coming in at a total of $546-$724 for the total brake booster price. Lastly, the Toyota Corolla is surprisingly the most expensive replacement option. The labor costs for this type of car is between $252-$321, with the parts coming in at an average range of $328-$282, with the total brake booster price coming in at $580-$997.
How to Buy a Good Quality Power Brake booster
When you press down on your brake pedal, you will feel a certain pressure – that pressure giving you energy back is the brake booster doing its specific job. If you are not feeling that pressure on the way back from the pedal, then it is almost a complete bet that the brake booster is not working at the peak efficiency and needs to be repaired or replaced, which requires you to check out the brake booster prices.
The job of the brake booster starts as soon as you put pressure on the pedal. Deciding what kind of brake booster you need can help you figure out what quality brake booster you want to purchase. The two main types are vacuum and hydraulic brake boosters.
There are key considerations for each type of brake booster. Hydraulic brake boosters are generally best used in diesel engines and consist of a steering pump with hydraulic liquid. The downside of this kind of booster is that it can decrease the horsepower since it uses a lot of electricity to function correctly.
The other kind of brake booster is the vacuum brake booster, which works by stepping on the brake to force air out of the diaphragm. The benefit of this type of booster is that if the vehicle stalls, the brakes will continue to work.
Checking to see what kind of power brake booster your vehicle should use before purchasing can ensure you make the best decision when buying quality power brake boosters.
Brake Booster Prices
When looking online for new or replacement brake boosters, it is important to compare and contrast various kinds of boosters that will work in your car. You might also want to read up and see which parts have the best reviews and ratings to ensure you get the best quality part for your car.
Looking online, a replacement brake booster that is a direct fit without the master cylinder will come in at an average of around $72 complete with a 1 year limited warranty. A Duralast remanufactured brake power booster can range depending on if it comes with a master cylinder or not, and if it is a vacuum booster or a manual booster. A Duralast remanufactured vacuum booster without the master cylinder comes in at just over $100, while a Duralast remanufactured brake power booster comes in at around $123 with hydroboost.
You can also go on websites, like autoZone, to input your exact year, make, model, and engine to find the brake booster price that works for you. For example, if you input a 2017 Jeep Compass Sport 2WD car with a 2.0-liter MFI DOHC 4 cylinder engine, the Duralast remanufactured brake power booster 54-72610 will come up, an option without a master cylinder and with a vacuum booster, with an overall cost of $88 for the brake booster price.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is a wide range of brake booster prices that you could potentially pay depending on your specific car make and model. If the replacement is more expensive than your car is actually worth, or the brake booster price is too high, then the repair or replacement might not be worth it. Now, you have an option of what to do with your car. We have a great solution for you. You can turn in your car to a local junk car buyer in your area.
Cash CArs Buyer will purchase your car and take it off of your hands, giving you money and cash in hand within 24 hours. This is a great choice for all buyers who don’t want to pay to get their car repaired, either because they do not have the funds or because they do not think it is worth it. In addition, you can purchase a new car with the new money you have just gotten.