Brake fade refers to the temporary reduction or total loss of your car’s ability to brake, making you unable to stop even when you’re putting hard pressure on the brake pedal. Often caused by the overheating of your brake pads, brake fluid, or rotors, this is a serious safety concern that you’ll need to work to prevent.
There are a number of things that can cause brake fade, and – luckily – also several things you can do to spot and fix the issue before it becomes too dangerous. In this guide, we’ll explain exactly what to look out for and how to help prevent it.
Brake fade is an unexpected reduction in your car’s braking performance, leaving you unable to slow down or stop as you normally would. The main cause of brake fade is excessive heat buildup in your braking system, whether it’s in the fluid or the pads. This extreme heat prevents your brakes from producing the friction needed to stop the car.
Brake fade is less common in electric vehicles (EVs) but much more common in traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. That’s because EVs rely more on regenerative braking instead of fully relying on their braking systems.
Brake fade is caused by the overheating of a certain aspect of your braking system. So, when does brake fade occur? It's usually the result of aggressive driving or strenuous situations, such as long downhill drives or carrying heavy loads. There are several parts of your braking system that could be the culprit, so let’s dive into the four main types of brake fade.
What is the cause of brake fade that’s most common? Friction or pad fade is the most common type of brake fade. It occurs when your brake pads are overheated from friction during braking, and they’re unable to cool down before you use the brakes again.
Brake pads typically have operating temperatures that are specified by the manufacturer; most brake pads hover around 150°C (300°F) during a normal day of driving, but they can easily reach or even exceed 370°C (700°F) if you’re braking heavily.
If you’re braking heavily and the pads exceed their operating temperature, the resin that binds them can turn into gas, lubricating the layer between the pad and the rotor and causing a loss of friction.
Fluid fade occurs when the brake fluid begins to boil during extended or heavy use. Braking fluid absorbs water, so when the moisture in it begins to bubble, it becomes more easily compressible. This ultimately means that when you push the brake pedal, it’ll go straight to the floor without applying any pressure to the brake calipers.
As braking fluid absorbs more water over time, the boiling point of it also lowers over time, increasing the chances of this type of brake fade.
Green fade is also known as “early life brake fade” and typically only occurs when you have new brake pads. The first few times your new pads reach high temperatures, they may release gases, temporarily reducing the performance of your brakes.
Mechanical fade is usually a direct result of heavy and excessive use of the braking system. If you’re repeatedly braking heavily from high speeds or coming down long, steep hills while carrying heavy loads, the heat built up in the braking system may not be able to dissipate, causing a loss of friction.
This reduces effective contact between the shoes and the drum, leading to a temporary loss of braking force.
Weather and road surface conditions across the EMEA region have a major impact on how a car handles corners. The grip between the tyres and the road depends on surface friction. On wet or icy surfaces, there's less grip than on dry pavement, which can change how the car handles.
In dry, warm regions like southern Europe and North Africa, roads usually provide good grip, so cars handle corners well at normal speeds. But when it rains, water can reduce traction, making it easier for a car to slide or lose control. This is why understanding aquaplaning and how to react to it is so important for safe driving.
In colder northern areas, frost, ice, and snow make traction even lower. On slippery surfaces, stopping distances are longer and corners are harder to navigate, which can lead to understeer or oversteer. Choosing the right tyres for the season, whether winter or all-season tyres, can make a big difference in maintaining control and staying safe.
If you’re worried you might be at risk of brake fade, there are a few telltale signs to watch out for:
So, now you know the key indicators, but how does brake fade actually feel when you’re behind the wheel? Many of the signs we listed above are physical sensations, such as the car vibrating when you’re trying to brake or noticing a difference in the feel of the pedal.
The main thing you’ll notice, however, is your reduced ability or even complete inability to stop the car as you normally would, no matter how hard you’re pushing down on the pedal.
Brake fade can be incredibly dangerous if it’s not caught and managed early. It can cause you to lose complete control of your vehicle, putting you and others at risk. If brake fade occurs while you’re driving, follow these tips:
We don’t recommend attempting to drive with brake fade, as it puts you at a higher risk of accidents. While brake fade can be temporary, driving with it unaddressed can lead to total brake failure, an even more dangerous situation. If you experience brake fade while driving, it’s safest to stop driving and avoid continuing to drive until your braking system has been inspected.
If you must continue driving, however, note that brake fade will likely not go away if you do not stop driving to let the car cool down. The amount of time it takes for the brakes to cool depends on the type of braking system and the severity of the overheating. Try to avoid driving until normal braking performance has clearly returned and the braking system can be checked safely.
In modern vehicles, electronic systems integrated into ABS (anti-lock braking system) or stability control can help maintain consistent braking response, even under high-demand conditions. These optimise brake pressure distribution to prevent the soft pedal sensation and maintain consistent power.
There are also several measures you can take to prevent brake fade, even if you’re driving an older vehicle without brake fade compensation:
As tyres are the only point of contact between your car and the ground, they can affect braking. It’s important to maintain the health of your tyres, as they can worsen brake fade if they’re not properly inflated or if they’re excessively worn. For a complete step-by-step guide, check our tyre inspection checklist.
There are several ways in which your tyres affect your brakes:
Yes, worn tyres can indeed worsen brake fade and overall braking performance.
While worn tyres aren’t the direct cause of brake fade, they provide a reduced amount of contact with the road, offering less traction and therefore causing you to have longer stopping distances. This, in turn, puts more pressure on your braking system. Over time, this can make your brakes more likely to overheat, putting you at higher risk of brake fade.
The main difference between brake fade and brake failure is that brake fade is caused by the overheating of a certain component in your system, whereas brake failure is caused by a mechanical, hydraulic, or component failure. Brake fade is usually temporary and can be fixed or simply waited out until the system cools down, while brake failure requires immediate repair. Brake fade, if left unaddressed, can eventually lead to brake failure.
Usually, during brake failure, your brake pedal will drop to the floor without any resistance. Causes of brake failure can be the failure of a single structure component or broken brake lines.
