Should You Brake When Going Downhill?
2 Answers
It depends on the actual situation and urgency. Below are the relevant scenarios: If the goal is to control speed: Generally, there is no need to press the clutch; instead, you can utilize engine braking by releasing the accelerator to assist in deceleration, which helps reduce brake pad wear and lower the temperature of the braking system. Moreover, using engine braking is smoother than applying the brakes, making it less likely to cause skidding or loss of control. If it's an emergency situation: To stop the vehicle as quickly as possible, press both the clutch and brake pedals fully (at this point, the ABS anti-lock braking system will activate, and if equipped with a brake force distribution system, safety will be significantly improved). Simultaneously, grip the steering wheel firmly to avoid loss of control or rollover due to sudden steering movements.
You definitely need to apply the brakes appropriately when going downhill, especially when I'm driving on mountain roads. Although the engine brake helps slow the car down, when encountering sharp turns or sudden deceleration of the car ahead, relying solely on downshifting is simply not fast enough. Every time I descend a long slope, I lightly tap the brakes to control the speed while keeping an eye on whether the brakes feel soft or get hot. If I smell burning, I immediately pull over to let them cool down. Once, while driving a manual transmission car downhill in Guizhou, I found that using third gear combined with intermittent braking was the safest approach. If you keep the brakes pressed continuously from start to finish, the brake discs can even turn red from overheating. Remember, safety on a downhill is a hundred times more important than saving brake pads.
