If you’ve ever experienced your brakes locking up while driving in wet conditions, you know how unsettling and dangerous it can be.
Brake failure is one of the most severe problems a vehicle can experience, and it’s essential to understand what might be causing the issue to fix it and prevent it from happening again.
In this article, we’ll explore some common causes of brakes locking up when wet and what you can do to prevent it from happening to you.
By understanding the underlying causes of brake failure, you can take steps to ensure the safety of your vehicle and the people riding in it.
Contents
Can Wet Weather Affect Brakes?
If you lock up your brakes in an emergency or while slowly slowing down, it can be a frightening experience. The following is what you need to know.
Whenever a vehicle approaches a panic or normal stop on slippery roads, the anti-lock braking system (ABS) automatically pumps the brakes, virtually eliminating brake lock-up. Almost all new cars built since the early 2010s come standard with ABS, originally an option offered in the 1970s.
Despite this, brakes may lock up occasionally, resulting in longer stopping distances and decreased stability when turning.
There’s a problem with that. The following information will help you understand why brakes lock up on vehicles with or without ABS. To determine if your vehicle has ABS, look for the yellow ABS indicator light in your owner’s manual or instrument panel.
Unlike the brake system, damp weather and rain have a greater impact on your vehicle’s braking ability. Non-mechanical factors such as road water and standing water can also affect your car’s braking ability.
Possible Causes for Brake Lock-Up When Wet
A freeze-up of the brakes can be one of the most frustrating and dangerous things in snowy conditions. Furthermore, did you know that damp weather can cause your car to brake more slowly?
Your brakes might lock up in the snow or wet weather for a few reasons.
1. Rotor And Drum Surface
Wet weather and water can adversely affect rotor and drum surfaces (and braking ability) through anti-parallelism, warpage, cracking, and out-of-roundness.
You cannot brake effectively after a storm has passed if standing water is present on the roadway.
In various ways, brake rotors and drums may crack or warp when they experience contact with cool water.
Surface parallelism variations in brake rotors that exceed maximum allowable specifications will result in felt and visible brake pulsations.
It is common for warped brake drums to cause the rear of the vehicle to shudder when braking because they make contact with the brake shoes unevenly.
There is usually a sense of vibration in the seats and floor of the car. There is nothing unsafe about either of these conditions, but they sometimes make the vehicle seem unstable.
2. Friction
This is what it takes to safely bring a moving vehicle to a halt. It is more slippery on surfaces when it rains or when the weather is damp.
Suppose you understand the reasoning behind each of these statements. In that case, you will be able to better understand the detrimental effects damp weather can have on your vehicle’s braking performance.
Steel backings and a thick layer of friction material are the main components of vehicle brake shoes and pads. The thick layers of friction material need to remain porous to bite (gradually) down and stop the vehicle.
The surfaces they come into contact with must remain extremely flat and uniform. Unless this is done, there will be unpleasant braking abnormalities.
As for braking, water and damp weather hardly affect rotors and drums due to their flat, uniform surfaces (which act as drag surfaces for friction material on brake pads and shoes).
Rotating components generate extreme temperatures when lightly contacting one another, resulting in extreme temperatures.
3. Brake Fluid
You may also need to keep a close eye on the brake fluid within your car when it’s wet or damp.
Your brake fluid master cylinder reservoir will not immediately be harmed by water, damp weather, or airborne moisture.
Brake fluid reaches exceptionally high temperatures, which results in any water mixed within boiling. Breathing steam creates air pockets in the hydraulic lines of the brake system and causes steam to collect in the small pockets of boiling water.
Fluid flushing and replacement are recommended annually for vehicles in areas with heavy rainfall and damp weather.
The part of your vehicle’s braking system that is most affected by damp weather and rain is not the brakes.
A car’s capability to brake safely is most affected by standing water on the road, especially if standing water is present. Keeping your tires in good shape is the best way to protect yourself from road hazards caused by rain.
To brake effectively in damp weather, you need tires with proper tread depth and the correct amount of air pressure.
Be sure to schedule windshield wiper blade replacement when scheduling tire maintenance. It is essential to have good wiper blades for safe driving.
4. Driving Habits
The last thing we want to talk about is driving habits. Most of the time, the weakest link in a braking system is the steering wheel and driver’s seat. Driving safely can be compromised by distractions.
The situation is especially problematic in damp weather. Increasing your car’s braking distance when the pavement is wet will allow you to brake more effectively.
By avoiding driving through standing water when your brakes are hot, you may avoid brake pulsing and costly replacements of rotors and drums.
5. Driver Reaction to Road Conditions
Whenever you experience brake lock-up while stopping, stay calm! If the brakes lock up due to a mechanical issue or sliding on slippery roads, pumping the brake pedal will help you maintain traction.
When the computer senses a skid condition, holding your foot firmly on the brake pedal should automatically engage the ABS.
If the ABS is not functioning properly, pressing down on the brake pedal strongly may activate it. On the other hand, ABS brakes must never be pumped.
This way, your computer will become confused, making it more difficult for you to stop and steer your vehicle. You will be notified if your ABS experiences any problems.
You must keep a close eye on the brakes on your car, as they are one of its most important safety features. If something is not working correctly, schedule an appointment with your mechanic.
How To React With A Brake Lock-Up?
No matter what type of brake problems you experience, you should visit a Les Schwab near you as soon as possible. During a wheel lock up, our technicians will ask what wheel or wheels are locked up, where, and when.
It would be helpful if you could provide any information that would help in the diagnosis and repair process. On the other hand, if you lock up on the road, you have three options that could save your life.
Make sure you apply pressure to the brakes as much as possible to gain control. In vehicles with anti-lock brakes (ABS), you may feel some feedback in the pedal and hear a mechanical noise as the vehicle slows. The ABS keeps the wheels from locking up and keeps you from skidding by giving you feedback.
You need to take your foot off the brake pedal for a moment before you can unlock your wheels. You may have to reapply the brake pressure if necessary. Keep pressing the brakes repeatedly (and quickly) until they disengage or bring the vehicle to a halt.
Final Words
To avoid adverse driving conditions caused by damp weather, it is best to maintain the vehicle’s braking system and tires per the manufacturer’s recommendations and steer clear of distractions. At the same time, you drive, particularly in the rain.
To ensure the safety of your vehicle, repair any brake problems as soon as possible. If your brakes lock up in the snow, you should have a mechanic inspect them immediately. Meanwhile, you can pump the brakes gently to help release them and bring the vehicle to a halt.