What to do when your car brakes fail while driving?

[Geoff996]

Before diving deep into the do’s and don’ts while coping with a car brake failure, let’s throw some light into the basics of car brakes.

A car has four wheels, and each wheel is equipped with a brake assembly/system. Different automobiles have different brake systems. Below are the types of brakes used in a car.

• Drum brakes: It was used in older cars where all four wheels were equipped with drum brakes.
• Disc brakes: It is a brake system that is common amongst all modern cars.
• Disc and drum brakes: It is a combination of drum and disc brakes. In this system, the front wheels are equipped with disc brakes, while the rear wheels use drum brakes. You can find this system in most budget-friendly cars.

Generally, modern cars are technologically advanced; the chances of a complete brake failure is very rare. Some high-end cars even come with fail-safe technology that warns you in case of any issues with the brakes. But that does not mean that the brakes will never fail. They may suffer a catastrophic failure under some circumstances, and it may catch you off guard.

So, how to stop a vehicle that has suffered a brake failure? The below points will help you in that regard.

• Do not panic: First of all, do not panic.A clear head on the shoulders can be your ally when the car suffers a brake failure. Do not panic as it may worsen the situation. Instead, keep calm. Think about how to get your vehicle safely off the road and come to a standstill.
• Switch on the hazard lights: If you can control the vehicle and the road is clear, you can try to switch on the hazard lights. Also, honk the horn to warn the other motorists on the road. They may not understand the problem, but at least they can steer clear from your way.
• Try pumping the brake pedal: Remember that your car has two braking systems, front and rear. Both the systems are controlled independently. Hence, both front and rear brakes have to fail for a complete loss of braking. Even the front/rear brake failure can make the car unstable under braking, but either front or rear brakes are enough to control the vehicle. Hence, keep pumping the brake pedal to see if any of the brakes work.
• Downshift gradually: Ifpumping the brake pedal does not work, and you lose all the braking power, you can use the engine braking to slow down the car. To do that, you have to release the accelerator pedal and downshift the gears. The engine will help you to shed some speed, and you can steer the vehicle to the side of the road. In the case of a manual car, you need to work it down through the gears. If you are driving an automatic vehicle, release the throttle pedal, and the car should shift to lower gears. Some automatic cars even allow you to override the automatic gearbox via paddle shifters. You can also use this feature to put down the anchors when there is a catastrophic brake failure.
• Use parking/hand brake: If you cannot slow the car by downshifting, the next option is to use the parking brake. Apart from the front and rear brakes, there is one more braking system in your car: parking/hand brake. It works independently and may help you to slow down your vehicle. But be mindful, do not engage the parking brake at high speeds. It may throw your car into a spin. So, always use it at slow speeds.
• Get off the road: After you have managed to slow down the car, the next priority is safely getting off the road. If you are driving on the road with multiple lanes, pay attention to your surroundings. Use turn signals to indicate that you are getting off the road. Steer the car to the shoulder of the road and then shift into ‘Neutral’. If needed, you can use the parking brake to slow down the car but ensure that the vehicle is moving at a slow speed. Lastly, switch on the hazard lights and also use your headlights and horn to alert other motorists.
• Do not shut down the engine: Never make the mistake of shutting down the engine before you have come to a standstill. First of all, by turning off the engine, you will lose engine braking. Next, when you turn off the ignition, you will also lose power steering, and the steering wheel may also lock. So, ensure that you do not shut down the engine before coming to a standstill.
• Call for assistance: Once you have safely parked the car on the side of the road, the next priority is to call for help. But before that, make sure your car’s hazard lights are on and place a reflective triangle (if available) behind the vehicle. Avoid standing next to your car and watch out for oncoming traffic. Next, you can call roadside assistance or the nearest service centre. You may also need a tow truck to tow your vehicle to the nearest service centre.
• Inspection of brakes: It’s better to tow your car and get the brakes inspected by an expert mechanic and perform repair work before you drive the vehicle. Even if the brakes seem to work normally after a brake failure, never drive the car without proper inspection.

If you have any other questions, Email: Sales@obd2.ltd