The brake system is one of the important safety systems your car has to offer, and we tend to take it for granted, but what would happen if your brakes stopped working? The thought is terrifying.
So, can brakes suddenly fail? Yes. It is possible for the brake system to stop working suddenly, but sudden and total failure is rare, especially if you take a few simple precautions.
Sudden brake failure is not only terrifying, but it is also one of the most dangerous mechanical failures that can happen while you are driving a car. Below I share everything you need to know to avoid brake failure.
Brake Failure
The job of your brake system is to respond to the pressure you apply to your brake pedal by slowing down your car or bringing your car to a controlled stop.
Brake failure is when your brakes stop doing this. They may still work inconsistently or gradually, but they will not stop you fast enough to prevent an accident.
Total brake failure is when the brakes do not work at all. Either you can not get the pedal or press down or the pedal presses down, but the brakes aren’t stopping the car.
Total and sudden brake failure is rare as most of the causes of brake failure happen gradually. You’re likely to notice some warning signs that your brakes are in trouble before they get to the point of total brake failure.
In a well-maintained car, both kinds of brake failure are rare. Rust causing leaks in brake lines and worn out or damaged brake pads just don’t happen under normal circumstances when you have your car checked out by a certified mechanic regularly.
Only about 2% of crashes in the United States are caused by a part of the vehicle failing or being worn out, and that statistic covers all parts of the car (source). Brake failure would only make up a portion of the 2%.
You should never drive a car if you are experiencing brake failure or suspect that your brake system is damaged.
Causes of Brake Failure
- Brake fluid leak
- Hardened brake pads
- Worn out brake pads
- Water or air in the brake line
- Any part of the brake system (brake booster, caliper, etc) breaks
- Manufacturer defects
- Mud or water coating the brake pads
Signs Your Brakes are Failing:
Warning Light: When you see the brake warning light on your dashboard blink on, it might worry you. Before you panic, first, make sure your parking brake was not left on by accident.
If your parking brake was not on, there may be something wrong with your brakes. Time to get them checked out by a professional.
Longer Stop Time: If your brakes are beginning to fail, you may notice that it takes much longer for your car to slow down or come to a stop.
Fluid Leaking: Just because there is fluid under your car, does not mean your brakes are compromised. The AC unit, for example, often leaves a small puddle of water under a car. Brake fluid is yellow to light brown and is the consistency of vegetable oil.
Noisy Brakes: Squealing, grinding, or scraping when you come to a stop usually means there is something going on with the brakes. It might not be brake failure, but it is best to get it checked out. Whatever is making the noise could be causing damage that is expensive to fix or could lead to brake failure.
Metallic Squeal while Driving: If you hear a high pitched squealing noise while you are driving, and it stops when you apply your brakes, this likely means your brake pads are in bad shape, and you are probably causing damage to your car. Get them fixed right way!
Burning Smell: If it smells like something is burning after you have braked hard and frequently on a steep hill, your brake system might be overheating.
If you continue to drive, you could overheat the brake fluid to the point where it causes damage the brake line, which would then lead to brake failure.
Car Pulls to One Side: If your car pulls to the left or the right when you apply your brakes, this means one side of your brake system is working and the other isn’t.
Brake Pedal is Hard or Soft: If your brake pedal is soft or spongy, this can indicate that there is water in the lines. This occurs sometimes when brake fluid needs to be changed out.
If your brake pedal is difficult to press, there could be trouble with the brake booster. Without a brake booster, the pedal becomes extremely difficult to press, and therefore stopping the car is also difficult.
If the pedal is hard to press, be sure there isn’t something behind it preventing you from pressing it. Always keep the driver’s side floor clear of debris.
Steering wheel or car is vibrating oddly. You likely spend enough time in your car to know what it normally feels like driving down the road outside your home. If the car doesn’t feel right when you apply the brakes, it probably isn’t right.
How to Prevent Brake Failure:
It seems simple, but the best thing you can do for your brake system is to follow the service plan recommended by the car’s manufacturer and have your brakes checked at every oil change.
Don’t take your brakes for granted. You can get in the habit of checking your brakes every time you get behind the wheel. This might not prevent your brakes from failing, but it will help brake failure from causing an accident.
Checking your brakes is easy. You don’t have to get under the car or even pop the hood.
First, you test the brakes before you start the car. Press the brake pedal before you turn the car on. Make sure the pedal is firm. If it does not, there may be something wrong with your brakes.
Once you have established that the brakes seem normal, you can test it while moving a slow speed. When you are still only moving at about 5 to 10 mph, gently press the brake pedal. As long as the brakes slow you down, they should be fine.
If your brakes do not slow you down, you can come to a safe stop by gently applying the emergency brake. The idea here is that it is better to find out that your brakes don’t work at 5 mph than 50 mph.
What to do if Your Brakes Fail
- Remove your foot from the accelerator.
- Turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers.
- If you are driving a car with ABS, then press the brake pedal down completely. If it vibrates that means the brakes are trying to work.
- If your car does not have ABS, then you must pump the brake as hard and fast as you can.
- Put the car into a lower gear. The engine will help slow down the car.
- Steer safely. Try to move onto the shoulder of the road as long as it is free of other people or cars.
- Once you have slowed down enough, you can delicately apply the emergency brake. Applying your emergency brake with too much force would likely result in your wheels locking up. You would lose control of the vehicle which is a very dangerous situation.
- If you are in a location where you do not have to steer the car, you can turn off the engine to help slow it down even more.
- Once the car has stopped, do not drive it again. Call for roadside assistance!
Stay calm.
Do not turn the steering wheel wildly. You want to stay in control of the vehicle, even if you can’t stop it.
Never purposefully crash head-on into anything to stop the car.