Before we look at bleeding the brakes, let’s make sure you understand how the brake system functions. If you’ve been bike riding, you know how the basic concept works. Pedals pull the caliper together. This squeezes the brake pads and discs together and the resulting friction brings the vehicle to a stop. Automotive brakes are a lot more complex than bicycle systems, but the basic concept remains the same. Kinetic energy is input, which produces heat through the generated friction and causes the wheels to stop and the car to stop as well. Generally, cars use a brake system that is assisted by a vacuum. This helps create a large amount of friction required to stop a car even at high rates of speed. This function is performed using a caliper, brake pads, and brake rotors.