Power Lost While Brake Is Pressed (Why & How to Fix)

There are factors to consider for a power loss while the brake is pressed. This could be from defects in transmission, fuel injectors, fuel pumps, or fuel sensors.

Malfunctioning Transmission

Cars with automatic transmission have a torque converter that replaces the role of the manual clutch in transmitting power. So, if the torque converter is broken, it won’t be able to do its job of transmitting power at low speeds causing the engine to shut down.

The malfunctioning of the transmission is usually due to:

1. Leaking transmission fluids – can be fixed by replacing the transmission line, seal, or pan gasket.
2. Slipping gears – can be fixed by replacing worn-out gear with a mechanic or repair specialist.
3. Overheating of transmission – transmission fluid that is black and muddy should be replaced.

Dirty Or Defective Fuel Injectors

Fuel injectors are involved in powering the engine by injecting sufficient amounts of fuel into the engine that is to be ignited by the spark plugs at an exact time. If these fuel injectors get clogged or inject the fuel on time, it would affect its mechanism with the spark plug to make combustion to power the engine.

Clogged fuel injectors can be remedied by having them cleaned.

Broken Fuel Pump 

The fuel pump brings fuel to the engine for its power consumption. If the fuel pump gets defective, this may result in pumping at a low pressure that affects the amount pumped from the tank for the engine to consume. 

When the car slows down at low speeds when the brake is pressed, the broken fuel pump will pump less than it should normally pump for that speed. This can cause the engine to shut down.

For immediate and only a temporary fixing of the fuel pump:

• Use a fuel gauge to attach it to the car engine

• Apply external pressure to compensate or suffice the pressure that the fuel pump cannot produce at the moment

• Monitor and maintain the moderate amount of heat the car engine needs and stabilize its performance

Bad Oxygen Or Mass Fuel Sensor

Oxygen and mass fuel sensors help determine the amount of oxygen entering the fuel stream to adjust the air-to-fuel ratio. So, if the amount of oxygen that enters is too much or too little, it will cause an imbalance that is hard enough to adjust between the air and fuel. 

As the car slows down when the brake is pressed, the same air pressure mechanism applies if the fuel mixture for combustion is not exact for power consumption. Soak the faulty mass fuel sensor by rubbing alcohol on a plastic bag or using a mass air flow cleaner. 

Then, let it dry and reinstall this in your car.

How Are Automatic And Manual Transmissions Different?

For this video, the automatic transmission is different from manual transmission in terms of different aspects such as affordability, maintenance, and gear control.

The manual transmission is much cheaper than the automatic, as it is easier to maintain because fewer parts can be monitored and replaced. Normally, the automatic transmission has many gears and parts, so replacing these pieces may be costly and require a maintenance check.

Manual transmission lets you be more in control of the vehicle than automatic transmission, where it provides optimizing the gears according to the situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there different types of brakes?

Four main types of brakes are commonly seen on a vehicle:

1. Disc brakes – this stops the wheels from using brake pads, rotors, calipers, and hydraulic fluid.
2. Drum brakes – have a drum-like design that can hold water inside; thus, they may be more prone to corrosion and rust.
3. Anti-lock brakes – actually just a part of the vehicle’s braking system that prevents the car brakes from locking up.
4. Emergency brakes – this is used in parking the car and connected to the main brakes through a cable.

What is a soft brake?

It is also called a spongy brake because of the vehicle’s brake master cylinder not being able to provide the pressure needed to slow down or stop the car. You can check for clear or yellowish leaks on your car’s wheels. 

Are there automatic brakes?

Automatic Emergency Braking Systems (AEBs) try to prevent accidents or collisions. They are used in extreme weather, such as snow, to adapt their friction control mechanism.