Your brake pedal just went to the floor. Or it feels mushy, soft, or completely unresponsive. This is one of the most dangerous mechanical failures you can experience behind the wheel, and the next 30 seconds matter more than anything else.
> **Quick Answer:** Pump the brakes rapidly to build pressure. Downshift if you drive a manual, or move the shifter into lower gears if automatic. Apply the parking brake slowly and steadily. Steer toward a safe area to stop. Do not turn the engine off until you are stopped. Get out of traffic and call for a tow. Do not drive the car.
## What To Do
1. **Stay calm and keep your eyes up.** Panic causes overcorrection. Look ahead for where you can safely exit traffic, a parking lot, a wide shoulder, a grassy median.
2. **Pump the brake pedal fast and hard.** Rapid pumping can rebuild hydraulic pressure in the brake lines. On older vehicles without ABS, this is especially effective. Even on modern cars, it is worth doing immediately. You may get partial braking back.
3. **Downshift aggressively.** In a manual transmission, drop through the gears quickly. Engine braking will slow you down. In an automatic, pull the shifter into a lower range (3, 2, L, or use paddle shifters if you have them). This works. Use it.
4. **Use the parking brake, but do it gradually.** Yanking it hard will lock the rear wheels and send you into a spin. Pull it up slowly and steadily while keeping both hands on the wheel and steering straight. This is your most reliable backup stopping tool.
5. **Steer toward friction.** Gravel, grass, a gravel shoulder, a gently rising hill, any of these will help scrub speed. If you are on a highway, read [what to do when your car breaks down on the freeway](/car-broke-down-on-freeway-what-to-do/) for additional guidance on getting out of the travel lanes safely.
6. **Do not turn the ignition off while moving.** This locks your steering wheel on many vehicles. Leave the engine running until you are stopped.
7. **Use hazard lights immediately.** The moment you realize something is wrong, put your flashers on. Other drivers need to know you are in trouble.
8. **Warn others if you can.** Honk repeatedly in a school zone or intersection. Flash your lights. Do whatever it takes to clear your path.
9. **Aim for a controlled stop, not a perfect one.** A curb, a guardrail at low speed, a hedge, all of these are better than hitting another vehicle or a pedestrian. Aim for the softest, least populated surface you can reach.
10. **Once stopped, stay out of the car if traffic is near.** Get yourself and passengers behind a guardrail or well off the road. If you are on a highway shoulder, the risk of being struck from behind is real. See [car died on highway shoulder: is it safe to wait for a tow](/car-died-on-highway-shoulder-safe-to-wait-for-tow/) for specifics on positioning yourself safely.
11. **Call a tow truck. Do not drive the car.** Brake failure is not a limp-it-to-the-shop situation. You have a hydraulic failure, a broken line, a seized caliper, or complete pad loss. Any of those can cause total brake loss again the moment you pull back into traffic.
*Photo: Pexels*
## What It Might Cost
A tow to a shop typically runs $75 to $175 for a local haul, more if you are on a highway or need a longer tow. The brake repair itself depends heavily on what failed. A brake line replacement runs $150 to $400. A master cylinder is $250 to $600 parts and labor. Complete rotor and pad replacement on all four corners can hit $800 or more at a dealership. Get the car diagnosed before agreeing to any repair estimate.
If you have roadside assistance through your insurance, check your coverage before you call a private tow. Many policies cover at least part of the tow cost, and some cover the full amount to the nearest qualified shop.
*Photo: Pexels*
## Stay Safe
- Do not attempt to drive to the mechanic after a total brake failure, even a short distance.
- If smoke or burning smell accompanies the brake failure, a caliper may be seized and overheating. Read [car smoking under hood: safe to drive or tow](/car-smoking-under-hood-safe-to-drive-or-tow/) before you make any decisions.
- If the failure happened after recent brake work, call the shop immediately. This may be their liability.
- On a downhill grade, use lower gears and the parking brake together. Running into a hillside at low speed beats losing control at high speed.
- Never leave a child or pet in the vehicle while you wait roadside, especially in summer heat.
- Keep emergency contacts in your phone, not just in your head. A breakdown is the wrong time to recall a number from memory.
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Brake Failure While Driving: What to Do Immediately
Photo: Pexels