Home › CDL Practice Tests › Air Brakes Questions › Question 182
What should you do if your brakes begin to fade while descending?
- A.Get the vehicle stopped in a safe place as soon as you can, using a lower gear, escape facilities if needed, and remaining braking carefully, then let the brakes cool and have the cause checked
- B.Speed up to increase airflow and keep driving
- C.Shift to a higher gear to reduce engine heat
- D.Pump the air tanks by fanning the brakes repeatedly
Correct answer
A. Get the vehicle stopped in a safe place as soon as you can, using a lower gear, escape facilities if needed, and remaining braking carefully, then let the brakes cool and have the cause checked
Why
Fade means the margin you depend on is already gone, and continued descent only adds heat and speed. Stopping while some control remains, then cooling and inspecting the brakes, is safer than hoping friction will return on its own.
Manual topic: Air Brakes - Brake Fade and Heat · From the Air Brakes practice bank (AB-182).