Habits that can damage car brakes

The braking system has the function of reducing speed and stopping the vehicle according to the driver's wishes. There are 2 braking mechanisms: the main brake and the parking brake. Nowadays, car brakes are equipped with many supporting technologies such as ABS anti-lock braking system, brake force distribution... to help the braking process be safer and more effective.

Common types of failure in the braking system are loss of grip, locking, not releasing, the brake pedal vibrates slightly against the foot when braking, the vehicle veers when braking, the brake pedal feels heavy or “negative” when applied, there is a squealing sound when braking, and finally failure of the support technologies.

The first harmful habit related to the braking system is pulling the handbrake after shifting to P. Many car owners have the habit of shifting to P, turning off the engine, and then pulling the handbrake. This habit will, in the long run, affect the lifespan and durability of the ratchet gear mechanism inside the gearbox.

In the automatic transmission, there is a parking pin that many people call a ratchet. It will grip the jaws on the output shaft of the transmission, preventing the wheels from rolling when the driver shifts into P. Because of its compact size, only the size of a finger, if the ratchet has to bear the entire weight of the car for a long time, it will wear out. It can even break if impacted strongly.

To reduce the burden on the ratchet mechanism, when stopping the vehicle, the driver should follow the procedure of stepping on the foot brake, pulling the handbrake, then shifting to P and turning off the engine. Pulling the handbrake first will help the ratchet gear inside the gearbox to share a lot of pressure.

According to an auto repair business expert in Vietnam, careful drivers can add a step to shift to neutral to ensure the car does not jump. Specifically, the process will be to step on the foot brake, shift to neutral, pull the handbrake, shift to P, and turn off the engine. The expert also emphasized that turning off the engine is the last step, and that you should not turn off the engine and then pull the handbrake, as many people have the habit of.

The next habit is to brake when going downhill or downhill. Braking will create a lot of heat that can burn and warp the brake pads with disc brakes, or the brake drum with drum brakes. It can lead to brake failure, endangering the lives of people sitting inside the car.

When driving downhill or downhill, switch to semi-automatic mode for cars with automatic transmission, and shift to a lower gear for manual transmission. Follow the principle of 'up which gear, down which gear'. The transmission system will slow the car down, reducing pressure on the braking system.

Brake fluid should be replaced periodically, otherwise the brake fluid will boil early when working, creating air bubbles when working in the brake system, leading to loss of power assist and loss of effectiveness. According to the expert, brake fluid should be replaced after 40,000 km or 2 years of use, whichever comes first.

Finally, not maintaining the brakes regularly. Some vehicle owners think that replacing the lubricant is a routine maintenance and forget about other items.

Regular brake maintenance helps remove debris on the contact surface, detect errors in the brake system, avoid the risk of brake pads getting stuck, the brake not releasing as desired by the driver, causing unsafe use.