Sometimes, your vehicle’s brakes are the only thing keeping you from being involved in a serious car accident. While these car components are crucial, they are often misunderstood, which can lead to neglect. Here is a brief guide to your car’s brake system and how you can keep them in good shape. 

Your Car Brakes Explained

1. Service Brakes

Your car’s service brake is the main pedal you compress when you need to slow down. When you press on the brakes, a lever moves a piston into a chamber filled with hydraulic fluid. This fluid pushes through the brake lines in your system near the wheels, multiplying the amount of force you issued and applying that energy to calipers that grip the wheels’ rotors. 

Service brakes rely on brake pads to apply this pressure, and they typically last 30,000 to 70,000 miles. Switch out your brake pads according to your car’s system tuneup schedule to avoid brake failures. 

2. Anti-Lock Brakes

Anti-lock brakes are designed to do exactly what they say—to keep your car’s wheels from locking. Wheels can lose traction if they hit slippery surfaces like mud or standing water, keeping them from gripping the road. If your car goes into a skid, you can lose control of your vehicle. 

Anti-lock brakes are attached to the rotors and designed to apply an intermittent braking action to keep the wheels from locking. Each ABS unit has a sensor that detects a loss of traction and applies the braking when it spots trouble, keeping you in control of your car. 

3. Emergency Brakes

Emergency brake handles are inside the car and designed with a simple system of cables attached to the car’s service brakes. These manual systems are like a braking override, helping drivers apply extra force to stop the vehicle in emergency situations, like avoiding a car accident if their main service brakes fail. Emergency brakes, also called parking brakes, are relied on when parking on hills to keep the car from rolling if it shifts out of park.

Whether you have recently been involved in a car accident or are concerned about your brakes’ condition, turn to Daves Auto in Cheney, WA. Since their inception more than 20 years ago, this trusted business has helped motorists with auto bodywork, engine repairs, and towing, making it easier to get back on the road. Learn more about their services by visiting their website, or give their office a call at (509) 235-6123 to schedule an appointment.