Q: Breaks Not Working

Hello. Brake failure can happen for a number of reasons. The most common is lack of brake fluid. If there has been an ongoing brake fluid leak, the vehicle would have set off the warning light once the level got to a point of concern. Locate your master cylinder and open the cap to check the level of brake fluid. Once you have determined there is a leak, your main focus needs to be on finding and repairing that leak. You can then refill and bleed the system. Common places for leaks are on lines, the master cylinder, or bleeder valves. Brake boosters can also fail and cause brake failure. Keep in mind when the main brake system fails, the emergency (AKA parking brake) is a back up system will trigger your brakes separately. You should always rely on this brake when in a situation like you found yourself. Make sure after the issue is resolved that you do a general inspection of the brake system to make sure nothing was damage in the process. Find and repair the leak, properly bleed the system of any air, and you should be good to hit the road again.