Equipment failure — Illinois Permit Test

A thumping sound may warn of a blowout, and a driver should ease off the gas pedal, keep a firm grip on the steering wheel, pull safely off the roadway and check the tires without braking suddenly.

A blowout pulls the car to one side and hard braking makes that worse. The grip and the slow deceleration are what keep it straight.

Blowouts - A thumping sound may be a warning of a blowout. If this happens, ease your foot off the gas pedal and keep a firm grasp on the steering wheel. Pull safely off the roadway and check the tires. Do not brake suddenly.

Where the steering fails a driver should ease off the gas, turn on the emergency flashers, let the vehicle come to a slow stop and brake very gently, and must not turn off the ignition where the vehicle has power steering or a locking steering wheel.

Turning off the ignition takes away the power steering or locks the wheel entirely. Either one removes what little control is left.

Steering Failure - If you suddenly have no control of the steering wheel, ease off the gas pedal, turn on your vehicle’s emergency flashers, and allow your vehicle to come to a slow stop. Brake very gently to prevent your vehicle from spinning. If your vehicle has power steering or a locking steering wheel, do not turn off the ignition because your vehicle will lose either the power steering or its ability to steer.

Where the brake pedal sinks to the floor a driver should pump it to build pressure, and where that does not work should use the emergency or parking brake and shift into a lower gear to slow down.

The three steps are in order of how quickly they work. Pumping is free, and the parking brake is what is left.

Brake Failure - If the brake pedal suddenly sinks to the floor, pump it to build pressure. If that does not work, use the emergency or parking brake. To slow down, shift your vehicle into a lower gear.

Where a gas pedal becomes stuck a driver should hook a toe under it to free it, and where it does not come free should shift into neutral and brake gently to slow down.

Neutral disconnects the engine from the wheels whatever the pedal is doing. It is the fix that always works.

Stuck Gas Pedal - If your gas pedal becomes stuck, hook your toe under it to free it. If it does not become free, shift your vehicle into neutral and brake gently to slow down.

Where the headlights fail suddenly a driver should try the emergency flashers, parking lights or turn signals and pull off the road, and where the lights begin to dim should drive to a service station or pull off and seek help.

Any light is better than none on a dark road. Dimming lights are a warning that total failure is coming.

Headlight Failure - If your headlights fail suddenly, try using your vehicle’s emergency flashers, parking lights and/or turn signals, and pull off the road. If your lights begin to dim, drive to a service station or pull off the road and seek help.

Where a driver’s vision becomes blocked they should roll down the side window to see, turn on the emergency flashers and pull off the road.

A hood that has flown up or a sudden loss of the windshield leaves the side window as the only way to see. It is enough to stop safely.

Blocked Vision - If your vision becomes blocked, roll down your side window to see. Turn on your vehicle’s emergency flashers and pull your vehicle off the road.

What should an Illinois driver avoid during a tire blowout?

Braking hard and suddenly. A blowout pulls the car to one side and hard braking makes that worse. The grip and the slow deceleration are what keep it straight. Illinois Rules of the Road 2026, p.88: “Blowouts - A thumping sound may be a warning of a blowout. If this happens, ease your foot off the gas pedal and keep a firm grasp on the steering wheel. Pull safely off the roadway and check the tires. Do not brake suddenly.”