Brakes speak a language of their own. They screech, squeal, creak, and click. Present-day cars are well provisioned with disc brakes, drum brakes, or incorporation of both. When you press the brake pedal, the car is likely to stop. But if the brakes fail and the vehicle doesn’t stop, you can imagine the utter terror. The chances of a complete brake failure are very slim. Ensure you keep up with your car care with Auto spare parts in Sharjah. However, if the brakes begin to fail here are five tips to prepare yourself for such a situation.
1. Pump your brakes
The foremost option is to remain calm and keep pumping the brake pedal in a to-and-fro motion to build some pressure of what is left in the hydraulic system which could eventually slow down your car. If you could feel some pressure coming back to the brake pedal, keep doing it until the car stops.
2. Try downshifting
Lift the foot off the accelerator and look for a place to halt the vehicle. Then downshift gradually to a lower gear. Then you can go into neutral for an absolute halt. This is known as engine braking. As the speed of the vehicle drops, try moving the car to the side of the road. In automatic cars, the engine automatically starts a sequence of downshifts when you release the accelerator and the car slowly loses momentum.
3. Engage the parking/hand brake
The hand brake is a hand-activated lever in most cars that can help slow down the car. It is advisable to use it only when the car is moving at 30mph or less. At higher speeds, this might send the car into a spin. Some modern cars use electronic parking brakes which cannot be engaged.
4. Turn your hazards on
Try maneuvering the car off the road and drive into the least perilous obstacle like an empty patch of grass or bushes to stop your car. However, you must take carefully calculated steps while doing this. Switch on the hazard lights and await assistance.
5. Don’t shut off the car engine
Never switch off the engine as it would double the trouble. This would nullify engine braking and lock the steering.
The easiest way to avoid a brake failure is by checking for wear and tear on the car’s brake system regularly and changing them. Crikey! There are several components in the system such as rotors, calipers, and brake pads. Stop by any local dealers or Auto parts in Sharjah for replacing the old ones.
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