Safe Tips When Car Brakes Suddenly Fail
One of the fatal problems in cars is experiencing sudden brake failure. Even worse, this can happen anytime and anywhere, even when you are far from a workshop.
This brake problem often occurs because during the journey, you continuously press the brake pedal for a long time. This causes the caliper to heat up, leading to brake failure. If you experience this, follow the tips below!
Safe Tips When Brakes Suddenly Fail
If you experience sudden brake failure in the middle of the road, don't panic right away. Because if you take excessive actions when the brakes fail, you might endanger yourself or even other drivers.
Therefore, follow these safe tips!
Keep Pumping the Car Brakes
When the brakes suddenly fail, one step you can take is to keep pumping the brakes so that the pressure can return to normal. If the car switches to anti-lock braking (ABS), you must continue to pump it.
Try not to panic, as you might accidentally press the gas pedal, causing the car to speed up instead of slow down. Therefore, keep pumping the brakes and occasionally shake them gently.
Eventually, the pressure in the brakes will return to normal. However, if when you pump it feels heavy or rough, there might be something wrong with the pedal. So, take the second step.
Downshift the Transmission Gears
If the first method doesn't work, you can proceed to the next step, which is to downshift the car's transmission gears quickly and gradually, this applies to manual cars.
However, for automatic cars, you don't need to downshift gradually, just go straight to gear no. 1. This step can make your car slow down by utilizing the engine brake component.
Use the Handbrake
To deal with sudden brake failure, you can also apply the handbrake. However, be careful when you intend to brake, do it slowly.
The way to do it is to pull the handbrake carefully and feel its grip on the wheel caliper. If the brakes feel like they are gripping, do not release them immediately, let it be until your car slows down.
Additionally, adjust the brake pressure so that you do not suddenly lose control. Remember, do not do it abruptly, as it can endanger you and other drivers.
Try Honking and Turning on Hazard Lights
The next tip is to honk the horn and turn on the car's hazard lights. This method can signal other drivers to know that your brakes are failing, and make sure to do this calmly okay!
Crash into a Soft Object
This last tip can only be done if all the above tips fail to restore the brake condition. Look for a soft object, such as a muddy area, and steer towards it.
Also read: Signs That Your Car's Brake Pads Are Worn Out and Need Replacement
By crashing the car into a soft object, this can stop your car's movement. Additionally, you can also crash into other objects such as a sand mound, wooden fence, and others.
The point is, look for a safe object to crash into, so the car can stop. As a driver, you must also focus your mind between driving and looking for soft objects around.
Those are some safe tips when the brakes suddenly fail that you can do. It is advisable to perform regular maintenance on your car to avoid this issue.
For maintenance, you can entrust it to our workshop, Daihatsu
to get optimal results. Of course, all repair processes will be carried out by professional staff at affordable prices.
