How to Deal with Brake Failure?
3 Answers
Methods to deal with brake failure are: 1. Turn on the hazard lights to alert other vehicles; 2. Shift to a lower gear; 3. Pull over and gradually apply the handbrake. Braking refers to the action of stopping or reducing the speed of moving locomotives, vehicles, other transport tools, or machinery. The causes of brake failure include: 1. Impurities in the master brake cylinder or poor sealing; 2. Failure of the vacuum booster pump; 3. Dirty brake fluid; 4. Oil leakage from the master or slave brake cylinder; 5. Air leakage from the air reservoir or pipeline connections; 6. Severe overloading; 7. Carbonization of the brake drum; 8. Lack of brake fluid in the master cylinder; 9. Wear of the master brake cylinder piston.
I've been driving for over twenty years and have truly experienced brake failure. It happened on a downhill slope when I suddenly pressed the brake pedal and got no response at all. My heart skipped a beat, but I had to stay calm. The first thing I did was pump the brake pedal rapidly several times to see if I could restore some pressure. If that didn’t work, I immediately downshifted—for a manual transmission, I pressed the clutch and shifted down a gear, and for an automatic, I switched to a lower gear to let the engine help slow the car down. I quickly scanned my surroundings for an open area with no traffic or a soft surface, like grass or a wide roadside, to coast onto. Only then did I gently apply the handbrake, avoiding a sudden pull to prevent skidding. After that incident, I developed a habit of checking the brake fluid level and brake pad wear every month. After all, prevention is better than dealing with emergencies on the spot. Safety is everyone’s responsibility.
As a frequent highway commuter, I always believe that preventing brake failure starts with proactive measures. Don't slack on regular maintenance—changing brake fluid and checking pipeline seals are crucial. Avoid sudden acceleration and hard braking while driving to reduce brake wear. If failure does occur, stay calm, take deep breaths, and try pumping the brakes firmly several times to check for responsiveness. If that fails, quickly downshift to use engine braking (manual transmissions work faster; shift automatics to lower gears). Simultaneously scan ahead for escape routes like shoulders or open areas, then gradually steer toward them. Apply the parking brake gently to control speed—avoid jerking it to prevent skidding. Once stopped safely, turn on hazard lights and call for assistance immediately. These steps may sound simple, but they can be lifesavers in critical moments.
