Even With Improvements, You Can Still Have a Brake Down
Stuart Yellin, a San Fernando Valley real estate agent, was driving to his mother’s house for lunch, exiting the Ventura Freeway when his car rammed a concrete light pole.
The 1992 accident, which left Yellin with serious head injuries, a crushed ankle and a broken arm, is now the subject of a high stakes “lemon law” case involving his 1988 Audi 90.
Yellin alleges in a Superior Court suit that the power assist on the brake system failed on the freeway ramp and left him unable to stop. The suit charges that Yellin had returned the car eight times to the Audi dealer, complaining about the brakes. Audi officials say his allegations are unsubstantiated.
The dispute highlights how little is known about brake failure as a cause of automobile accidents. Although brakes are no doubt safer than ever, thanks both to new technology and strong federal standards, brake failure remains a serious safety problem. A 1989 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that about 2% of all accidents are caused by brake failure.
Yellin claims that he was unable to stop his Audi when the power boost system failed. In such cases, the brakes still work but require 10 times as much pressure on the brake pedal, according to Jonathan Justman, Yellin’s attorney.
Justman said accident investigators will testify that the power boost failed because a plastic check valve in the vacuum system had deteriorated and caused an intermittent loss of power assist.
Audi spokesman Tony Fouladpour said that Audi can prove the power assist system never failed and even if it had, the car would have stopped just as quickly.
What is significant about Yellin’s case is that most lemon law cases involve disputes in the tens of thousands of dollars. Yellin is seeking compensatory and civil damages of $5 million.
Brakes have been performing more reliably ever since the late 1970s, when the federal government began requiring dual hydraulic circuits. If a hose bursts or something else causes a loss of hydraulic pressure in the system, at least two wheels will continue to have braking power.
But mistakes still abound. Mechanics sometimes install incorrect brake parts or add the wrong type of brake fluid. Brakes also go out of adjustment, and then on hills or freeways they are not up to the task of stopping the vehicle. And a car can lose power assist for many reasons.
So never take your brakes for granted. They should be inspected at least once a year and more often if you drive a lot.
* Vartabedian responds in this column to automotive questions of general interest. Do not telephone. Write to Your Wheels, 1875 I St. N.W. #1100, Washington, DC 20006 or e-mail to Ralph.Vartabedian@latimes.com.
