Brake Vacuum Pump
A brake vacuum pump creates the vacuum needed by the brake booster when the engine cannot provide enough on its own.
What is Brake Vacuum Pump?
Diesel engines have no throttle vacuum, so they need a pump. Some turbo and direct-injection petrol engines also use one. Electric vacuum pumps are used in some hybrids and start-stop cars. A hissing noise or a hard pedal after starting can point to a vacuum problem. A vacuum gauge test shows whether the pump reaches the required vacuum.
How it works
The pump, driven by the camshaft or an electric motor, draws air out of the booster.
Why it matters for your car
Pump failure makes the brake pedal very hard and braking much weaker. Oil leaks from mechanical pumps are common and should be repaired.
Other terms
- 12-volt Battery In Electric Cars
- Cold Cranking Amps (CCA)
- Daytime Running Lights (DRL)
- Digital Rear-View Mirror
- Engine Overheating
- Fuse
- Gear Ratio
- Goodwill Repair
- Inner Tie Rod (Axial Joint)
- Intake Manifold
- Parking Lights (Sidelights)
- Power Tailgate (Electric Boot Lid)
- Primer (Primer Surfacer)
- Redline
- Roof Rack (Roof Bars)
- Sequential Indicators (Dynamic Turn Signals)
- Total Loss (Write-off)
- Vinyl Wrap (Car Wrapping)
- Wheel Arch Rust
- Wheel Runout