How to Deal with Brake Failure in Automatic Transmission Cars?
2 Answers
Automatic transmission brake failure can be addressed by: 1. The driver should stay calm, release the accelerator to reduce speed, firmly hold the steering wheel, and turn on the hazard warning lights (double flashing lights); 2. Observe the rear traffic through the left and right rearview mirrors, and if conditions permit, slowly change lanes to the far right lane to prepare for an emergency stop; 3. The driver can try pressing the brake pedal several times, which may apply pressure to the brake system with air in the oil pipes and potentially restore some braking force; 4. Use friction between the side of the car and guardrails to stop the vehicle or use collidable objects to bring the car to a halt, achieving the goal of forced parking to escape danger and minimizing accident losses.
That day on the highway, I really experienced the brake pedal going soft! My first reaction was to immediately release the accelerator, keep both feet steady, and turn on the hazard lights to alert the cars behind. Then, I tried quickly and firmly pressing the brake pedal two to three times in succession—some cars' electronic systems can activate backup braking. Never yank the electronic parking brake abruptly! Instead, hold the parking brake button and pull it up continuously to apply braking in stages and avoid fishtailing. At the same time, shift the gear lever to L or manual mode in a low gear to let engine braking slow the car down. Hold the steering wheel firmly and look for the emergency lane; if you can't stop, gently scrape against the guardrail to decelerate. That time, I managed to avert danger with this method—remember the sequence: hazard lights-deep presses-downshift-gradual parking brake-scrape to stop. Later, it turned out to be a brake fluid line leak, and now I make it a habit to change the brake fluid every year.
