Not to state the obvious, but the primary goal of a car is to move forward with speed. Now, whether you are driving an SUV or a supercar, the primary aim of it remains the same. But do you know what’s equally essential? The breaks!
Last year, a report suggested that there were 1,194 road crash deaths in Australia in 2022, a 5.8% increase from the previous year.
Imagine driving down from the hills, and after certain kilometres, your brakes Fail While Driving. Oh, the anxiety and helplessness! It shivers to even think about it, right? These are not uncommon, and we are not strictly talking about when you are driving down the hillstations.
As common as it is, for any driver, brake failure is the last thing they want. Should you find yourself in such a situation, what should you do? Well, you are here for a reason, of course! Let us see our options.
What Are The Different Kinds of Brakes?
Before we look at the solutions for brake failure while driving, let us understand the various brakes available. A vehicle generally has four wheels, and every one of them is equipped with a brake assembly. Different automobiles come with various brake systems. Following are some of the kinds of brakes used in vehicles:
1. Disc Brakes
This brake assembly is very common among all newly launched cars. These brakes can easily stop a vehicle in motion, and this slowing down happens gradually.
2. Drum Brakes
This assembly is more famous with the older cars as back then; all the four-wheels were equipped with drum brakes. When it comes to controlling the motion of your vehicle, drum brakes also play an important part.
3. Disc & Drum Brakes
It is a conjunction of both drum and disc brakes. In such an assembly, the front wheels are equipped with disc brakes, while drum brakes are in the rare wheel. You may find this system in the most budget-friendly car. A reputed car mechanic mobile service will handle all kinds of brake repairs.
How Can You Tell if Your Vehicle’s Brakes Might Fail?
There are some clues you need to look out for when it comes to brake pedal failure. If the brake feels harder than normal, and you have to put more force on it, or you feel like the brake’s effectiveness is not how it used to be, it might be due to the brake booster failure. It generally happens after a long period of not being driven, excessive heat, or a failure in the brake pump.
In order to always be cautious about failed brake pedals, ensure you check the fluid from time to time, between two to three months, to ensure it is at the correct level. Additionally, you must check that the pads are not worn down and the disks are in great condition.
To sum it up, here are some of the warning signs every reputed mobile car mechanic Adelaide wants you to look out for:
- A pulse in the brake pedal when the brake is applied.
- There is a clicking or squeaking noise when the brake is applied
- The lights of the anti-lock braking system will be on.
- A drag is felt during the acceleration.
- The vehicle pulls to one side.
If you notice that the brake pedal is too soft when you step on it, the brake fluid level might have dropped under the minimum safe level. If you are calling in experts from the mobile Autocar to let them know about these signs.
Things to do When Your Brakes Go Out
There are many things to do when your brakes fail. Did you know that in the year ending in July 2023, there were 334 road deaths in New South Wales, Australia? This represents a surge in contrast to the previous year. Only Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory had a reduction in road deaths simultaneously.
All the drivers need to understand the main reasons why the brake pedal might fail. However, most essentially, you must know what to do when facing such a situation.
It is one thing when the pedal fails when you are parked, and a reputed automotive mobile mechanic is getting it fixed; tackling things when you are on the road and driving is totally different. Here are some of the things you need to consider before you can afford to call in the expert for mobile brake repair:
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Do not panic
If there is one thing that every reputed mobile brake mechanic wants you to know in this situation, it is to not panic. It makes things worse! A clear head is your biggest ally behind the wheel, especially when things go wary, and you cannot immediately ask assistance from a reputed brake specialist Adelaide. If the brakes go out, staying calm and attempting to get your car safely off the road is in your best interest.
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Consider trying the brakes one more time
If there is one thing all the expert brake repair specialists in Adelaide agree on, you should always try the brakes once again. Let us explain. There may be dual braking systems if you are not behind a classic car. It controls the brakes of the front and rear wheels independently.
As a result, both halves of the system would need to fail for your vehicle to lose the braking power. Still, having the braking ability of your vehicle reduced to half is too much to make it feel unsafe, but there is still power left for stopping. Therefore, consider applying consistently strong pressure to the brake pedal to notice if you can slow the car down.
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Don’t turn off the car until you have stopped
Understandably, you wish to call in car inspections Adelaide right away and turn off the car. However, keeping the engine running until you have reached a total stop is always better. Why? Because turning off the car might also prevent you from using the power steering. Therefore, consider keeping the engine on until you have stopped so you can still navigate the car.
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Go for the lower gear
A piece of pro advice from every reputed mobile brake service Adelaide would be to shift to the lower gear. As you go through this process, the top priority is to decrease the car’s speed as much as possible. Another way you may do that is to shift to the lower gears gradually. Shifting to the lower gear will slow the car down in a manual or automatic transmission. As you regain the overall control of the car, you may call for vehicle inspections.
Wrapping Up
So, these were some things you could have considered before contacting a car inspection service. Speaking of which, carefully choose the car roadside assistance to assist you in this dire situation.
For all your car braking needs, your one-stop solution would be the proficient experts from Mobile Mechanic Adelaide. Known as one of the best roadside assistance in Adelaide, they provide a comprehensive range of mobile car mechanic services right at your door, so no matter if you are at home, in your office, or anywhere else, they have got you covered.
