What does service brake assist mean on my Chevy Equinox?
Service brake assist, also known as brake assist, is a safety feature found in many modern vehicles, including the Chevy Equinox. This system is designed to help drivers stop their vehicles more quickly and effectively in emergency situations.
What is Service Brake Assist?
Service brake assist is an electronic system that monitors the driver's brake pedal input and, in an emergency situation, automatically applies additional braking force to help the vehicle stop more quickly. When the driver applies the brakes suddenly and with significant force, the brake assist system detects this and immediately boosts the braking pressure, providing the driver with maximum braking power. This can help to reduce the stopping distance and potentially prevent or mitigate a collision.
How Does Service Brake Assist Work?
The service brake assist system in the Chevy Equinox uses a variety of sensors to monitor the driver's brake pedal input, including:
- Brake pedal position sensor: Detects how far the driver is pressing the brake pedal
- Brake pedal pressure sensor: Measures the amount of force being applied to the brake pedal
- Wheel speed sensors: Monitor the speed of each wheel to detect sudden deceleration
When the system detects a sudden, forceful application of the brakes, it immediately activates the brake booster to increase the hydraulic pressure in the brake lines, providing the driver with maximum braking power. This can help to reduce the stopping distance and potentially prevent or mitigate a collision.
Benefits of Service Brake Assist
The primary benefit of service brake assist is improved safety and emergency braking performance. By providing additional braking force in emergency situations, the system can help drivers stop their vehicles more quickly and effectively, potentially preventing or reducing the severity of a collision. Other benefits of service brake assist include:
- Reduced stopping distances: The increased braking power can help the vehicle come to a stop more quickly, especially in emergency situations.
- Enhanced stability and control: The additional braking force can help the vehicle maintain better stability and control during emergency braking maneuvers.
- Improved driver confidence: Knowing that the vehicle has an advanced safety feature like service brake assist can give drivers more confidence in their ability to respond to emergency situations.
Overall, service brake assist is an important safety feature that can help drivers of the Chevy Equinox and other vehicles stop more effectively in emergency situations, potentially preventing or mitigating the severity of collisions.
What causes the service brake assist light to come on?
Worn Brake Pads: If your brake pads are worn down, it can trigger the service brake assist light. Brake pads need regular replacement to maintain their effectiveness. Brake Rotors: Damaged or worn brake rotors can also cause the light to come on. This can affect your vehicle's stopping power and safety.
Can you drive without brake assist?
Even if there is no power assist, you will be able to drive with a faulty brake booster since there will still be a mechanical connection within the booster via the booster rod.
Can I drive with the service brake system light on?
While you technically can drive with the brake system warning light on, you should make a point to remedy the situation as quickly as possible. Brakes are the most important safety feature on your vehicle, so you should not drive if your brakes are not working properly.
How do I turn off brake assist on my Chevy Equinox?
You can also turn the feature off through the Settings menu of your infotainment system. Go to the Rear Park Assist section of the Settings menu and disable “Alert and Brake” to do this. If you turn Reverse Automatic Braking off, the feature will automatically turn back on if you restart the vehicle.
What 2 reasons would cause your brake system warning light to come on?
Why is the brake light on while driving? When your brake light comes on, your car is letting you know that either your vehicle is low on brake fluid, the emergency brake is activated, there's trouble within the ABS unit, or there's a problem with the sensors.
Why does my Equinox say service brake assist?
The service brake assist message generally has to do with the power brake booster and it's associated engine driven vacuum pump, not the hydraulic or mechanical braking systems. As reported here, a vacuum pump failure often results in catastrophic engine damage.
