Ford Taurus Brakes
The Taurus has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. Some models have disc brakes on the rear wheels as well. Brakes, weather disc or drum, convert kinetic energy aka motion into heat or thermal energy. This is done by pressure applied to the disc brake surface or drum brake surface from the brake pads or shoes. The pressure is applied through a hydraulic system activated by the brake pedal.
Pads and shoes wear down over time and need to be replaced with new ones. Your local shop can easily measure how much pad you have left. A visual inspection may even be enough. Discs and drums can rust, warp, scar, and/or crack. In some of these cases they need replacement as well. Job costs for these things vary depending on how much work needs to be done. Many times work is done that is not needed such as re-surfacing the rotors etc. Please see your guide below for appropriate brake care.
Luckily brake maintenance is not difficult to do yourself and can easily be done in a home garage or drive way. See our how to change your brake pads, shoes, rotors, and drums section.
Picture of a drum brake
Picture of a disc brake and the caliper