Breaks Flashcards
Check that the brake booster is working. (Applies to cars with fossil fuel)
Empty the brake booster for air by depressing the pedal five to six times before starting the engine. You will now feel the pedal become harder. Keep holding the pedal down and start the engine. The pedal should sink in because you are getting power from the engine to help you brake.
If the brake booster does not work, the car is also not in legal condition.
Be aware that if you tow the car you do not have this power and the brakes work very poorly.
Check the brake fluid.
This is done by looking into the engine compartment and finding the fluid container in front of the brake pedal. Normally you should not be needing to fill it, but in an emergency remember to fill in the correct type of brake fluid (stated on the lid).
What do you do if you are low on brake fluid?
The brake system is using more fluid than normal because the brake pads might be worn. It may also be due to a leakage. Bring the car to a workshop.
Check if the brakes are directionally stable.
Find a straight, flat and traffic-free road, rest your hands lightly on the steering wheel and gently and apply the brakes. The car should keep the course straight ahead
What might be the reason if the car is swerving to one side (previous question)?
There may be a fault with the brakes. If the car pulls to the left, the brakes are most worn on the right side and vice versa. Visit a workshop to fix the problem.
What do you do if the warning light, in previous question, starts to light during driving?
Stop and then try to find out what triggered the warning. It could be that the two-circuit system is not working, that there is too little brake fluid or a technical fault. Visit a workshop.
What is a two-circuit braking system?
In Norway, it is required to have a two-circuit brake system. Should you get a leak, you always have one in reserve. The different brakes will vary, but both circuits will always act on both front wheels. The warning light (!) will also light up in the instrument panel if something is wrong.
Check that the warning light for the two-circuit braking system works.
You can check that the two-circuit brake system is working by starting the car’s engine and seeing that the warning light comes on and goes out by itself. Pull the handbrake up and down, and see that the light (!) turns on and off.
Check the ABS dashboard warning light.
The lamp lights up with yellow writing “ABS” and should switch off after the engine starts.
Is it safe to continue driving if the lamp starts to illuminate while driving?
Yes, but the error should be corrected.
How do you regulate regeneration on the car? (only applies to electric cars)
It is not possible on all electric cars, but on our school cars the regeneration is regulated with two levers on the back of the steering wheel.
