Drum brakes are mostly outdated. Modern cars make use of disc brakes. One of the main problems with older drum brakes was their propensity for brake fade. However, disc brakes didn't exactly put an end to that particular problem as it's still possible for modern brakes to suffer from a similar condition. 

How Brake Fade Works

Brake fade happens when friction heats up the drum of the drum brake. When this happens, expansion occurs that forces the drum and its shoe to gradually lose contact with each other. That translates to you gradually losing the ability to brake.

Disc brakes don't suffer from this issue because they don't use a drum. Instead, they use brake pads, which stay in contact with the disc. Unfortunately, disc brakes suffer from other forms of brake fading. 

Types of Disc Brake Fade

There's actually various ways for modern disc brakes to fade. In most cases, brake fade for disc brakes occurs because of wear and tear. As your brake pads fade, you will have to push the brake pedal further down. Your stopping power will gradually decrease. Replacing the brake pads will solve these issues, but there's other forms of brake fade as well.

Brake lining failure – Brake linings also suffer from wear and tear. As the brake lining melts from the friction, the stopping power of the brakes will decline. This is a separate process from disc fade, and the two things can happen in concert.

Brake fluid failure – Brake fluid can overheat. When that happens, the fluid will turn to gas that will erode your brake's stopping power. This is one of the reasons it's important to flush and refill your braking fluid every so often.

Various other types of brake fade also exist for disc brakes. A lot of it comes down to wear and tear, as well as your own driving and braking habits.

How to Prevent Brake Fade

You can easily prevent brake fade by using quality brake assemblages and having qualified service technicians install them. Having your brakes inspected should represent a routine part of your car maintenance regimen. In addition, you shouldn't abuse your brakes by using them improperly.

What to Do If You Notice Brake Fade

If you notice you have to push the brake pedal down further or harder just to slow or stop, then you should visit an auto brake repair service like Alaskan Auto Center Inc to have them inspected. Brake fade can become a dangerous issue if you let it go on for too long.

In addition, the earlier you have your brakes checked, the less chance you will have to complete replace your whole braking system. Modern cars still suffer from brake fade, so make sure you take care of your brakes, so they can take care of you.

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