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The reverse brake assist function ensures a safe reverse of the vehicle. It stops the vehicle at a safe distance from the obstacle. But sometimes it stops working, and you see the message on the dashboard screen “reverse brake assist not available”. What to do now?
Reverse brake assist may not work because of low or bad brake fluid, network interruption, or problems in the brake system. First, reset the brake assist, check the brake fluid and finally, scan for the error code and fix it accordingly.
Take your time; stay here and see how I fix the problem.
What is Brake Reverse Assist?
Reversing the vehicle is difficult, thanks to the modern brake assist system. It is designed to protect the vehicle from an accident and help to protect against a collision while reversing the vehicle.
Specially designed sensors are installed on the vehicle’s rear that detects the possible hit by any obstacle and applies auto brakes. It stops your vehicle safely away from the obstacle.
Why Does The Reverse Brake Assist Not Available Message to Appear?
The reverse brake assist message is for information. It may appear for some changing in modules. Mostly it exhibits after the module programming.
A reverse brake assist message appears due to an interruption in the network or after the configuration of modules. It needs to be reset to the steering center.
Another cause for appearing reverse brake assist not being available can be the faulty exhaust brake system. You can also check for that by scanning for the error code.
How Do You Check Brake Assist?
You have a message for reverse brake assist not available; it is always not due to network interruption. You may have a problem with the reverse brake assist. So, you have to check the brake assist to ensure it is working or not.
People try different terrible ideas and damage their vehicles. Truly speaking, there is no way to check the brake assist itself. Because it is part of the ABS control unit, the only thing you can do is check the working of your ABS system.
So, please do not try foolish ideas and protect your vehicle from hitting an obstacle. Try this simple way to check brake assist.
- Put both of your hands on the steering wheel.
- Then put your vehicle in neutral and all the tops depressed position
- Then you stand on the brakes and try to notice the vibration
- If you notice the vibration that the view through the brake pedal, your ABS is working. It means your reverse brake assist is also working fine.
How to Fix Brake Assist?
Fixing the brake assist is pretty simple. It may take up to a couple of minutes to fix. Once the message appears, you can easily fix this by resetting the brake assist system. Follow the steps below to reset the brake assist.
- Park your car at a safe location
- Turn off the car
- Open the car hood
- Unscrew the battery’s positive terminal and remove the cable
- Get in the driver seat, press the brake pedal for a minute, and then release the pedal. It will release all the stored power.
- Reconnect the cable to the positive terminal of your battery
- A message will be clear
Alternative Methods to Fix Brake Assist:
Check The Brake Fluid:
The reverse brake assist unavailable message may appear because of a low or old brake fluid level. It may make the overall brake caliper system not working. Ultimately, ABS also need to be fixed.
So check for the brake fluid level; if the level is low, refill the brake fluid. I recommend Heavy Duty Brake Fluid. It assists brake calipers, ABS, disc, and drum systems in working efficiently.
Scan For The Error Code:
The second method is to scan for the error; after scanning, you will be able to know why your reverse brake assists are not available. To read the error codes, you can see the manual. If you do not have the manual, get help from an expert mechanic.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Why is reverse brake assist not available in Mach-E?
Your Mach-E vehicle’s reverse brake assist not available message may appear because of a network interruption or module programming. Also, check for wiring or signal faults to fix them quickly.
Can brake assist be turned off?
Yes, all of the vehicle brands have a feature to turn off the brake assist system.
Go to the car’s settings menu.
Scroll down and tap on “ Assistance.”
Then tap on “ Active Brake Assist.”
Choose the settings “ OFF.”
Why do I see reverse brake assist not available on lincoln aviator?
It may happen due to module configuration. If the module configuration is okay, then check for the electronic unit or ABS. You may see the message because of ABS or control unit faults.
How much is it to fix the brake assist?
It varies depending on your car brand. Generally, for servicing, it may cost up to 150$, but for replacement, it may cost up to 300$.
Why is reverse brake assist not available in f150?
It can be because of several reasons. But for the Ford150, you must check for the programming configuration, network interruption, brake caliper, and sensors.
Conclusion:
Reverse brake assist protects thousands of vehicles from damage each day. If you see rever brake assist unavailable, you can fix it in many ways.
If you try all the above methods but cannot troubleshoot, contact an expert mechanic; you may have some other issues.