₦airaland Forum

Everyday, I take a route that has a long steep downhill portion of about 3 km. On the slope, my car garners a lot of speed. I was of the opinion that engine braking would reduce my brake pad and rotor wear.
However, I also usually notice a burning smell like with a bad clutch after the steep and fast decline.
Am I damaging my car by using engine braking?

dsunmade: Everyday, I take a route that has a long steep downhill portion of about 3 km. On the slope, my car garners a lot of speed. I was of the opinion that engine braking would reduce my brake pad and rotor wear.
However, I also usually notice a burning smell like with a bad clutch after the steep and fast decline.
Am I damaging my car by using engine braking?

Of course not. If it does any damage, it would had been stated in your car owner's manual. However, when you engage engine brakes there is no brake lights illuminated so be careful not to engage it on busy roads to prevent rear end collisions.
Besides, Engine braking especially in Automatics have an effective range based on vehicular speed both initial and final speed.

I have heard people say it causes incomplete combustion cause its load on the engine with low fuel supply. I'm not sure that is true in injectors cause you have your MAF and IACV doing all the mixing at right proportions.