1. Slowly deploy your parking brake (hand brake):
In the event of a brake failure, the first thing to do is to try your best not to panic and take careful steps. Although it is now clear that your primary braking system has failed, you still have your parking brake (hand brake) which is mechanical in most cars and one slowly creeps into motion before stopping the vehicle. May be attached to bring. However, many modern cars these days have electronic parking brakes that would not be engaged in a moving vehicle. What to do then?
2. Pump your brakes to generate hydraulic pressure:
One can try and repeatedly pump the brakes not the wrong way but in full forward and backward motion. What can be expected from this process is that it can create some residual pressure in the hydraulic system and slow down the car. If you begin to feel some pressure coming back to the pedal, slowly depress the pedal to maintain pressure until you come to a complete stop.
3. Use Down Shift and Engine Braking:
We all have felt the jitters when a driver inadvertently drops down a gear too quickly. This happens when the wheel speed in the lower gear is greater than the engine speed. This is called engine braking and can act as a life saver in the event of a brake failure. Gradual downshifting from a higher gear to a lower gear will help slow down the car and give the driver better control as it will restrict free forward motion. Downshifting gear too early should be avoided as it can potentially send the car into an uncontrolled skid. Use engine braking to slow down and switch to neutral to stop completely.
But what about those who are driving the automatics? If you’re driving an automatic, you can simply take your foot off the gas pedal, which will initiate a sequence of downshifts when the car loses speed. Some automatic cars also have paddle shifters that can be used to downshift at will.
4. Do not stop your vehicle until you have achieved a full stop!
One might think that shutting down the engine in such a situation would help win half the battle. However, they would be wrong as it could double your problems. Turning off the ignition will also cut power to your power steering, negating any engine braking opportunities you may have, or worse, locking up the vehicle’s steering.
5. Worst case! Drive in least dangerous obstacle
If nothing has worked or you do not have time to carry out the above procedures, then drive across the least dangerous obstacle in front of you. The ‘least dangerous’ applies to both you and the pedestrians you may be on the road. Look for an empty patch of ground, a group of thick bushes or walls to scrape the edge and stop. Use your presence of mind and most importantly stay calm! Do the calculation steps.
prevention is better than cure:
We hope that no motorist ever encounters brake failure, however, preventing brake failure is more important than reducing brakes. One needs to make sure that the brake pads, rotors and other brake system peripherals and wear and tear parts are on top before they hit the roads. Another important step is to have your brake master cylinder inspected during each scheduled service. If your vehicle triggers the ABS alert light, or your brakes are starting to feel spongy, you have a potential failure at hand. Leaking brake fluid lines, damaged seals and uneven brake pad wear are some of the factors that need attention. These are also factors that can only be detected by trained mechanics. So be aware and stay safe.