A series of components working together that exert pressure to slow or stop a vehicle.

• The brake pedal pushes a rod that actuates the master cylinder.
• The master cylinder distributes the hydraulic braking power to the brake calipers/cylinders that push the pistons in the cylinders.
• The pistons push the brake pads or shoes against the brake rotors or brake drums (attached to your wheel), which STOPS THE CAR.
   

Flushing your brake fluid every two years is a great habit. Poor brake fluid can adversely affect braking performance -- you don't want to realize your brake fluid is bad the hard way. Flushing the brakes removes the old fluid from the entire system, including the master reservoir. (Most cars today should use DOT 4 brake fluid.)

For disc brakes, the technician will remove the pads and inspect the rotor(s) for excessive wear. If the rotors are excessively worn, the rotors should be replaced or machined to a flat surface, afterwards new pads will be installed. If drum brakes are involved, the process is a fairly similar, except it can take a little longer to perform.