Is it safe to drive with smoking brakes?

+1 vote
asked Aug 1, 2020 in Safety by 9urnball (490 points)
Is it safe to drive with smoking brakes?

1 Answer

0 votes
answered Aug 2, 2020 by Shawn (99,990 points)
No it's not safe to continue driving with smoking brakes because it means that your brakes are not working properly and eventually you may not be able to stop the vehicle.

Smoking brakes are usually an indication of stuck brake calipers or stuck wheel cylinders or you may have accidentally left your parking brake engaged or partially engaged.

If your vehicle has just disc brakes then it's likely a stuck brake caliper or stuck brake calipers causing the brake pads to not release and causing the brakes to smoke.

Or you have a stuck wheel cylinder for rear drum brakes which keeps the brake shoes pushed up against the brake drums.

Never ignore smoking brakes as it's normal and you'll also wear your brake pads or brake shoes down faster as well.

When your brakes are working properly the brakes should never smoke.

If you're driving down the road and your brakes are smoking you either have your parking brake engaged or partially engaged or your brake calipers are sticking and not releasing.

You may also have a bad brake line on one side of the vehicle if the vehicle is also pulling to one side when braking.

If your brakes are smoking then something is wrong and you should get the brakes checked out because your brakes are likely sticking.

The brake calipers could be bad or if you also have brake drums the brake shoes may not be releasing properly and need adjusted or you have a stuck wheel cylinder.

I would take the car to a brake shop who can do a free brake inspection for you and let you know what is causing the brakes to be smoking.

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