Car Troubles

About a year ago, the brakes on my car were making weird sounds and seeming not to work as well, so my savvy husband changed the break pads on the brakes. After he changed the break pads, the breaks definitely worked better, though they started emitting a loud squeally noise.

Then, earlier this year, my car didn't pass inspection because the stupid e-brake light stays on all the time regardless of whether the e-brake is on. So, my husband once again used his mad skills and replaced the back breaks.

After this, the front breaks started to make this horrible grinding sound. I was afraid every time I drove my car because this grinding sound made me wonder if I would get in my car one day and the breaks would stop working. But, my husband found himself very busy this semester (17 credits and full time dad) so he promised to fix the breaks when the semester was over.

Two days ago, I got in my car to leave work, put my car into drive, heard a weird clunk, put my foot on the break pedal only to find no resistance on the pedal. So, I coasted over to a parking spot and slammed that break pedal down. The car stopped... too soon. I wasn't quite in the parking spot. So, I tapped the gas pedal and... nothing happened. The car would not move forward. I pressed harder, but the car would not move. So, I pressed even harder and I inched forward into the spot. I called it, my car wasn't going anywhere.

I called my wonderful husband who had thankfully finished his semester the  day before and therefore was not in classes like he normally would be and he came to pick me up. He tried the car and as he tried to move the car, I saw smoke coming out from the drivers side front wheel and then I saw something fall off the car. It was the break pad. It had literally melted and broken off the car. That probably would have been bad if that had happened while I was driving on the freeway home from work. So, I'm counting my blessings there.

Matt diagnosed the problem as the brakes and came back the next day to replace the brakes. I got to try and entertain the kids at my desk while he was out working on the car. Dan apparently loves to sit under my desk and laugh at the cords to my computer. 

After an hour of trying to fix the brakes, Matt declared that it was the caliper (whatever that is). So, he went and got the part and fixed that too, because he is amazing. So now, I have brakes that work, a car that works and I am a happy girl. I no longer need to be afraid while driving my car. And thank goodness I have a husband that can fix something for 100 dollars that could have cost 500 dollars.