Q: While pressing on brake pedal, car accelerated

asked by on August 15, 2016

Intermittently the brakes in my car quit working. I have been to the dealership several times, but it wouldn’t happen for them while they had the car. One day while driving 30 mph, I depressed the brake pedal but the car just kept moving and would not stop. Because of this I rear-ended another car. Everyone was alright fortunately and the police filed their report. I decided to wait on the diagnostic test from the dealer before having the car repaired. They told me that it was not brake failure that caused the accident, but unintended acceleration on my part. That is not true since I was pressing on the brake pedal. Can you tell me what caused the brakes to fail, since I know I didn’t accelerate?

Brake Hose Replacement $167.85 - $396.88 Get a Quote
Brake Pads Replacement $150.17 - $479.65 Get a Quote
Brake System Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote

Hi there, gladly you are okay after your accident. Brake failure can be a result of several different things. This can range from a failing brake booster, to air in the brake lines, to worn brake pads. Based upon the limited information, it would be difficult to make a recommendation without further inspecting the vehicle for more information. If you would like a second opinion on the car, I suggest having an expert from YourMechanic come to your home or office to diagnose the brake system in order to pinpoint what is going on.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

The car revs while not moving, the check engine light is on
Hello. If the engine speed is going up and down as the vehicle is sitting there and running, then it is not a transmission problem. It can be an intake manifold issue as they mentioned, as I have seen a...
Won't start turns over
Hello. For this issue with your 1997 Saab 900, I suggest checking the operation of the crank position sensor (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/crankshaft-position-sensor-replacement). If the current position sensor goes bad, it won't send the parameters to the engine for it to calculate how...
Car won't accelerate past 3000rpm
This issue could be caused by a variety of things. I would suggest by checking to be sure that the idle air control module is working properly. Also, check to be sure that the throttle body is delivering fuel as...
Excessive fuel consumption
Hello. An excessively high fuel trim and decrease in fuel efficiency can be caused by many things. If you have already replaced the aforementioned components then I would move on to examining the vehicle's engine management system. The fuel trim...
Headers that fit my car with a manual transmission? 1973 Ford Mustang
Check Cjpony, Jegs, or Summit Racing. They all carry headers that include your model.
location of the egr valve on a 2.7 chrysler sebring 2004
Hi there. The EGR valve on this engine is located at the end of the cylinder head towards the transmission side. It is bolted to the rear cylinder head. Why the interest in the EGR valve? Do you suspect the...
Timing belt with water pump replacement? How much it is going to cost?
Billing question sent to CS for the replacement of the Timing Belt and the Water Pump.
chevy tahoe 5.7 pcm voltage output issue
Re-check the triggering signal using the specific LED test light described in the instructions at this page (http://easyautodiagnostics.com/gm/4.3L-5.0L-5.7L/how-to-test-the-icm-3). If the LED test light does not flash per those instructions then the PCM would have to be tested further. If the...

Related articles

Can a Leak in the Brake System Cause Total Brake Failure?
Although Although there are several issues that can lead to total brake failure, the most common one is some form of brake fluid leak. When a brake leak is present, it affects the fluid pressure in your system. Since it...
10 Biggest Car-Related Headaches and What to Do About Them
You You don’t want to, but if you're a car owner it's inevitable that at some point you will experience car troubles. It's also fairly certain that the machine you rely on will cause you grief when you least expect...
What Do the Press Clutch or Press Brake Pedal Warning Lights Mean?
The press clutch and press brake pedal lights remind you to press on the brake or clutch before starting the engine or while in park mode.