Can someone describe what brake fading feels like?

I know for sure that my brake rotors are warped due to the vibration I get whenever I'm slowing down on the interstate. I will be getting it replaced on Monday.

Lately though, I feel like the car hasn't been stopping like it should. I feel like it takes a lot to stop the car, especially when going down hill. Is this something to do with the rotors too?

One more thing, I am aware that the ABS makes a sound during the first start up, but it recently has become more like a grinding sound. It's very different from when I got the car.

 

When going downhill, it's safer to downshift and use the engine to slow down the car. That will also avoid brake fade.

 

Little bit off topic, but I get a chatter or vibration from brakes on certain stops, not hard, but firm, and I think when pointed downhill it happens more often than not. Also seems to happen more often with clutch in coasting.

Odd. But it feels almost intentional. I don't think it's ABS.

Others have reported a fairly horrendous grind. Noone has previously correlated it to the ABS check.

 

I found this article very informative on the topic of warped rotors and vibrations:

http://www.stoptech.com/whitepapers/...otors_myth.htm

Stoptech has more articles online here:

http://www.stoptech.com/technical/

 

I don't personally know what brake fade feels like, but from what I gather, you press on the brakes, your car begins to stop hard, but at a point the brakes feel like they are letting go and your braking power "fades"

 

From what I understand, brake fade, like xizor said, is when your brakes stop braking no matter how hard you press.

This is due to the fact that braking is the process of taking your cars momentum and changing it into heat energy which is then disipated. During heaving braking, your rotors will get hot to a point where they can no longer accept any more heat and you can no longer transfer any more of your cars energy to your brakes until they cool off.

This is also why they have slotted and drilled rotors to increase the cooling surface area.

 

Get some of these:

http://www.brakeworld.com./catalog.a...275&invidtype=

 

A fading pedal feels like mush. You get a "long pedal" meaning you have to press farther and farther to get the same stopping power, then when it gets truely bad the pedal is on the floor and you get no response. Unfortunately I have had both a long pedal and no pedal on the track! The main reason brakes fade is the fluid, it gets hot enough to boil and when it does bad things happen. Rotor problems (warping is a misnomer) can cause fade, if they are creating more heat than usual, but unlikely unless you have a severe problem you are getting true fade on the street even with rotor problems. If you actually do get fade, the fluid has boiled and HAS to be bleed and replaced (I bleed and replace pads everytime before I leave the track) the reaosn is once fluid boils the boiling point is lowered and it becomes a downward spiral.

In the end I doubt you are experiencing true fad UNLESS you are riding the brakes down LONG hills. On long hills either use engine braking or brake harder, speed well below your "maximum" and let off. This allows the braking system to bleed off heat so they will be ready for the next application.

Vandy

 

when your foot goes to the floor and you should be stopping and you are not, that's major brake fade.