What does it mean when the Brake pedal is hard to push down? The brake pedal hard to push down when hitting the brake, you need to step extra hard on the brake pedal for the brake to function.

Most of the car today has power brakes that help make the braking much easier cars are equipped with power brake that is vacuum-assisted when the power brake has a problem the driver has to step extra hard on the brake pedal to stop the car. Vacuum-assisted power brake unit uses vacuum from the engine to help in applying the brakes, it has a vacuum hose from the car engine into a round metal or plastic canister and can be found between the master cylinder and the engine compartment firewall.

To determine the cause of the problem observe the car engine, when the engine runs roughly the possible problem is that the vacuum hose is broken or there is a leak somewhere in the vacuum hose. However when the engine runs roughly only when the brake pedal is depressed while the car is park then the possible problem is that the canister is failing.

There are other types of brake like the hydro-boost, when the car speed does not change when the brake pedal is depressed then the car uses a hydro-boost brake unit.

When this kind of problem happens to your car the first thing to do is to identify what type of brake unit is installed on the car by looking under the hood. Look for the power brake unit in between the master cylinder and the firewall is should be a plastic or metal canister 10” to 14” in diameter. Once you locate the vacuum-assisted unit, check the hose that connects the unit to the engine if there is a crack or leaks, if so then replace the hose. If the hose is fine then no other option but to bring the car to the car shop for diagnosis and repair if necessary.

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