Maintenance and care of the vehicle braking system

Abstract

The article covers brake system upkeep. Passenger cars and light trucks transmit brake force via brake fluid, while large buses and heavy trucks use air brakes; whatever the system, braking is done by disc pads or drum shoes, so pad or shoe thickness must be checked regularly and replaced when approaching the manufacturer's minimum. When checking the pads, also inspect disc or drum wear — grooved contact surfaces should be resurfaced to keep the contact area and braking force.

On brake fluid: manufacturers set a replacement interval of generally two years, but summer evaporation argues for shortening it. Judging fluid by colour and smell is insufficient; the correct way is to test water content and boiling point — new fluid boils around 260°C, and once absorbed water reaches 2.5% the fluid must be replaced. The article advises low-gear engine braking where braking is frequent, and a precautionary brake tap when going downhill to test effectiveness.

It then walks through emergency braking-failure procedures: if the brake warning lamp lights, slow down and stop to check; on motorways, shift down through the gears to use engine braking and finish with the handbrake below 30 km/h; on ordinary roads, downshift to first and pump the handbrake; in bends, get speed down before turning and release the handbrake mid-corner to avoid a slide; uphill, creep to the crest and hold with the clutch half-engaged; downhill, never yank the handbrake — and as a last resort, sideswipe roadside barriers on the unoccupied side, prioritising people over the car.

Key facts

• Check: pad/shoe thickness against the manufacturer's minimum; resurface grooved discs/drums
• Brake fluid: manufacturer replacement interval generally 2 years; shorten it in summer
• Fluid test: boiling point about 260°C for new fluid; replace once absorbed water reaches 2.5%
• Driving habit: use low-gear engine braking where braking is frequent; tap the brake downhill as a test
• Failure on motorway: shift down through the gears, engine-brake down, handbrake below 30 km/h
• Failure in bends: reduce speed before the corner; release the handbrake mid-corner to avoid a slide
• Last resort: sideswipe roadside obstacles on the unoccupied side; never drive straight into objects at speed

The original article is in Chinese; see the Chinese version for the full text. This page provides the English title, abstract and key facts only — translated and compiled from the original, without full verbatim translation.