Cars do not repair themselves, and sometimes you can end up with more problems than you bargained for. In an emergency, there are ways to stop your car if your brakes fail.
Everyone knows that you should not ignore symptoms of mechanical failure in your vehicle. After all,
vehicles do not repair themselves and issues do not go away magically. So what should you do if you have been putting off that brake repair and you find yourself careening down the road with a failed braking system? Here are a few tips for getting your car to stop (somewhat safely) if your brakes fail.
Initially, you may want to panic. Try to keep a clear head and think through what you need to do to stop safely. If you panic, you will not be able to think clearly and may end up causing more harm to yourself and your passengers. Turn on your hazard lights so other drivers are aware that you have a problem.
The first thing you should do is take your foot off of the gas and try your brake pedal again. If the brakes do not respond, try pumping them. By pumping your brakes you may be able to build up enough pressure to slow down your car.
Next, make sure your cruise control is off. You do not want your car to accelerate any more and exacerbate the problem. Once your cruise control is off, try shifting to a lower gear. If you are driving a vehicle with a stick shift (manual) transmission, slowly work your way down through the gears and allow the engine to slow down the vehicle. If you are driving a vehicle with an automaticac transmission, put the gear shift into a low gear (1 is lowest).
While your car is slowing, try to steer away from other vehicles. If you are on the interstate, the cement barriers or guard rails can help slow your car. The cement barriers are shaped so that they will rub your tires instead of your car. Obviously, you will want to use extreme caution when using the barriers or guardrails to help slow your vehicle.
Once you have slowed some, you may want to cautiously try the emergency brake. Do not push it hard or fast, as it could send you out of control. However, apply slow steady pressure and it should help slow you down or even help you to stop completely.
If none of these measures are helping fully, you will need to look for someplace to steer your vehicle or even crash. Remember, do not panic! If you can steer on the side of the road in dirt or gravel, or even grass, that will help slow you down even more. You should excersie extreme caution and drive carefully to minimize the chance of flipping the car over or causing a serious crash. If there are bushes or some sort of brush along the side of the road, that will also provide some friction to slow the car and a buffer should you crash there.
Once you have gotten the car to stop, you should call for help. You will need the car towed to a brake repair shop and you will need someone to take you and your passengers home safely. While this can be a scary event, chances are that if you stopped without crashing you are going to be physically all right.
Keep in mind that this type of incident can be mostly avoided by having your car routinely serviced and getting a brake repair job done in a timely manner. Never let that squeak go thinking it will go away!
