I own a 1996 Ford Taurus and the last fews day, the brake pedal has stiffened. Each time I step on the brake pedal, the car swerves a little. Is this a sign of worn out pads or rotors? Also when I'm driving on a steep slope, the car slows down. What does this mean?

 

Sounds like either one of your front calipers is hung-up and not releasing or you have a problem with a set of shoes on the rear. This depends if it's the front-end or rear that swerves when the brakes are used.