The electric brake device includes an electric motor, a brake rotor, a friction pad, a conversion mechanism, a braking force command section, a braking force estimation section, a controller, and a power supply device. The controller includes: a power determination section to determine whether an amount of remaining power that can be supplied from a power supply device to the electric motor has become equal to or less than a determined value; and a residual pressure cancellation section to cancel a residual pressure of a braking force by driving the electric motor in a direction opposite to a brake pressing direction such that an estimated value of the braking force obtained by the braking force estimation section becomes equal to or less than a set value, when the power determination section determines that the amount of remaining power has become equal to or less than the determined value.

A method for checking an isolation valve of a braking system of a vehicle includes the steps of: operating at least one pump of a brake circuit of the braking system which is hydraulically connected via the isolation valve to a brake master cylinder of the braking system for a predefined pump running time; measuring at least one value regarding a pressure present in the brake circuit; and determining, in consideration of the at least one measured value, whether the isolation valve is mechanically blocked.

A method for checking an isolation valve of a braking system of a vehicle includes the steps of: operating at least one pump of a brake circuit of the braking system which is hydraulically connected via the isolation valve to a brake master cylinder of the braking system for a predefined pump running time; measuring at least one value regarding a pressure present in the brake circuit; and determining, in consideration of the at least one measured value, whether the isolation valve is mechanically blocked.

A brake drive control circuit of a servo motor which detects malfunction of a semiconductor circuit at the brake drive control circuit, that is, a brake drive control circuit which connects two semiconductor circuits in series to a brake and uses a voltage detection circuit which detects the presence of voltage which is applied to the brake by brake signals turning the semiconductor circuits on/off so as to detect test pulses in the voltage which is applied to the brake due to test pulses which are included in the brake signals and turn the semiconductor circuits off for instants during an operation for disengaging the brake and detect malfunctions of the semiconductor circuits by the detection of the test pulses.

A brake drive control circuit of a servo motor which detects malfunction of a semiconductor circuit at the brake drive control circuit, that is, a brake drive control circuit which connects two semiconductor circuits in series to a brake and uses a voltage detection circuit which detects the presence of voltage which is applied to the brake by brake signals turning the semiconductor circuits on/off so as to detect test pulses in the voltage which is applied to the brake due to test pulses which are included in the brake signals and turn the semiconductor circuits off for instants during an operation for disengaging the brake and detect malfunctions of the semiconductor circuits by the detection of the test pulses.

Corrosion inhibiting hydraulic fluid additives, kits, and methods are disclosed. The hydraulic fluid additive may be adapted for use with brake fluid in vehicular brake systems. The kits may include an additive, a hydraulic fluid tester, and/or correlated information on test results and hydraulic fluid service actions.

Corrosion inhibiting hydraulic fluid additives, kits, and methods are disclosed. The hydraulic fluid additive may be adapted for use with brake fluid in vehicular brake systems. The kits may include an additive, a hydraulic fluid tester, and/or correlated information on test results and hydraulic fluid service actions.

A parking brake system includes an engine oil pressure switch normally controlling the activation of a parking brake. The controller is actuated to temporally ignore a communication from the engine oil pressure switch so that the brake may be released even when the engine is disabled.

Provided is an electric brake device that is able to achieve redundancy when an abnormality occurs in a load sensor, without increasing the size of the load sensor. The electric brake device includes a brake rotor, a friction pad, an electric motor, a transmission mechanism, braking force command section, braking force estimation section, motor rotation angle detector, and a controller. The braking force estimation section includes a load sensor configured to detect elastic deformation of a determined member forming the electric brake device. The controller includes sensor abnormality detector configured to store a sensor output of the load sensor at a motor rotation angle at which a braking force becomes zero, and infer the occurrence of plastic deformation in the load sensor from transition of the stored sensor output.

A method for securing the braking effect of a brake includes a brake contact surface and a one brake pad including a friction surface, wherein a braking effect therebetween is caused by a braking pressure acting therebetween, the method including capturing the braking effect of the brake, attributing the braking effect to a friction parameter of the friction surface in a calculation unit, and comparing the friction parameter of a marginal braking effect in a comparator, wherein a signal is output to the brake when it falls below the marginal braking effect, which signal causes a braking pressure and a friction force between the brake contact surface and the friction surface directly and/or indirectly by pressure build-up, whereby the friction parameter of the friction surface is brought above the marginal braking effect when the braking pressure and the friction force on the friction surface and/or the brake contact surface obtain a material removal and/or a heat input, by which the relation between braking effect and braking pressure can be increased.