Brakes Failing: What You Can Do Immediately

The steps in an emergency

1. Foot off the accelerator, switch on hazard lights.
2. Pump the brake pedal rapidly several times. If there's air in the system, this can briefly rebuild pressure.
3. Use engine braking: shift down through the gears step by step so the engine slows the vehicle. On an automatic, shift to lower drive positions if available.
4. Apply the handbrake carefully. Slowly and under control, so the rear wheels don't lock and the vehicle doesn't spin out.
5. Look for an escape route, such as a runaway lane, an empty car park, or a field, if there's no other option. Avoid endangering anyone if at all possible.
6. Call the police if you're overwhelmed. They can talk you through it on the phone.

Why brakes can fail

• Missing brake fluid, usually from a leaking brake line. The pedal goes to the floor.
• Overheating on long descents: constant braking can boil the brake fluid. Gas bubbles form that can't be compressed, and the pedal goes soft.
• Brake booster without vacuum, for example when the engine is off. The pedal becomes hard and needs more force, see Engine cutting out while driving.

After stopping

Don't keep driving. A red brake warning light, a soft pedal, or brake fluid under the car are reasons to have the vehicle transported, see Warning lights in your car and Oil leak and oil trail. A car with faulty brakes shouldn't be pulled with a rope, since essentially only the towing vehicle brakes in that setup. It's taken to a garage on a flatbed. This applies even more on mountain roads, see Winter breakdown on mountain roads.

What to report

• Whether the brakes failed completely or only partially
• Whether brake fluid or another substance is leaking
• Where the vehicle is, and whether it's on an incline or a descent
• Make, model, drivetrain

What's behind a pedal that gives way

A brake pedal that feels soft, goes to the floor, or sinks slowly usually points to a problem in the hydraulic system: too little brake fluid, a leak, or air in the system. Brake fluid absorbs water over time, which can form vapour bubbles under heavy heat. Braking then weakens even though the pedal travel stays the same. A hard pedal with no effect, for example with the engine switched off, is often related to the brake booster instead: without the engine running, the assistance is missing, and the pedal feels strong.

Two brake circuits as backup

Modern braking systems are split into two separate circuits. If one fails, the other usually keeps working, with a longer stopping distance and more pedal force needed. That's why complete failure is rare, but weakening brake performance is a very serious warning sign. If the brake warning light in the instrument cluster is on, don't treat that as a minor detail.

Downhill: heat is the enemy

On long descents, brakes overheat if used continuously. So: shift into a lower gear, use engine braking, and apply the footbrake only in short bursts. Coasting downhill in a high gear while constantly braking risks the brakes losing their grip entirely by the bottom. On mountain and pass roads, the gradient warning signs are a useful reminder.

ABS, ESP and the warning lights

If ABS or ESP is lit, the brake circuit is usually still fine, but the control systems have failed. The brakes then behave like on older vehicles without ABS, and the wheels can lock under hard braking. The red brake light, often with an exclamation mark, instead points to brake fluid, the handbrake, or a circuit failure. More on the colour logic of warning lights in our guide Warning lights in your car.

What matters after stopping

Switch on hazard lights, secure the vehicle, and call for help. Don't drive "just a bit further" to reach a garage. A vehicle with damaged brakes can fail completely on the next application, and towing with a rope is dangerous without functioning brakes. Transport on a flatbed is the safe solution. Prevention includes having the brake fluid changed at the manufacturer's interval and having the brake discs and pads checked regularly.