Can You Continue Driving with Hot Brake Discs?
2 Answers
Generally, you can continue driving with hot brake discs. Brake discs can be classified into the following 2 categories: By structure: Brake discs are structurally divided into solid brake discs and ventilated discs. A solid brake disc is simply a metal disc used for braking without any special construction. Ventilated discs come in two forms: slotted discs and drilled discs. Both designs aim to improve the cooling performance of the brake disc, reduce heat fade, and provide better braking capability. By material: Brake discs can be categorized into carbon-ceramic brake discs and metal brake discs based on material. Due to the excessively high manufacturing cost and poor braking performance at low temperatures of carbon-ceramic brake discs, despite their excellent resistance to heat fade, they are not commonly used in most vehicles. To enhance heat fade resistance, some manufacturers apply carbon fiber treatment to metal brake discs, improving their performance in this aspect while avoiding the poor low-temperature performance of carbon-ceramic materials.
I've been driving for over a decade, and overheating brake rotors is something you really can't take lightly. It's normal for brake discs to reach around 100 degrees Celsius after regular braking, but if they're smoking or you smell burning, that's dangerous. Once when I was driving downhill on a mountain road, I encountered this issue—the rotors were so hot I couldn't even get my hand close when I got out of the car. Later, I found out the brake caliper pins had rusted and seized. Continuing to drive in such a situation could lead to premature wear of the brake pads and rotors at best, or at worst, cause the brake fluid to boil and result in brake failure. My advice is to pull over immediately, turn off the engine, and let it cool for at least half an hour. Then test the brake pedal to see if it feels spongy. If anything feels off, call a tow truck right away—safety is far more important than saving on repair costs.
