Determining Why Your Brakes Failed In A Collision

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After a collision that was caused by brake failure, one of your first tasks will be to determine the exact cause of your brake failure. Brakes can fail in many different ways, so there is no one catch-all brake repair that will keep you safe in the future. When you take your car in for auto brake repair in your area, your mechanic should look for some of the following issues to prevent future accidents. 

Fluid Fade

The first type of brake issue that can occur is when your hydraulic system doesn't have the fluids it needs to operate smoothly. This may be a simple issue of needing to replace the hydraulic fluids. But your brake repair technician should also check for the signs of a hydraulic brake leak. In order to prevent this type of issue in the future, be sure to go in for a brake check-up at least once a year to make sure that your system has all of the fluids it needs. 

Domino Fade

A domino fade occurs when there is an uneven quality to your brakes. For instance, if one brake has been repaired recently while the others were much older, the stronger brake may cause the system to be unbalanced. This powerful brake may cause the car to spin out, leading to a collision. 

Your mechanic will look at the condition of each brake in turn to diagnose this issue. A domino fade might occur if some pads are much more worn than others. It may also be that one pad was misaligned, creating a more uneven surface on that brake that led to greater slippage on one side. 

Friction Fade

Finally, friction fade is another very common cause of a brake failure. This is when some or all of your pads are so worn out that they fail to stop the car in time. This type of failure can be prevented with yearly auto checkups to diagnose the problem. But in the case of a collision, your mechanic may replace several parts that are responsible for creating friction, just to be on the safe side. For one, they will replace brake pads with new parts; ceramic pads are a great option for high performance. They will also check to make sure that the bracing pads are correctly aligned and functioning properly. Finally, they will check to ensure that the brake shoes are holding the system at a proper angle for good friction. 


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