I just listened to Click and Clack a couple weeks ago, and a guy called in asking why his brakes caught on fire after he went down a long hill. Suffice to say

I just listened to Click and Clack a couple weeks ago, and a guy called in asking why his brakes caught on fire after he went down a long hill. Suffice to say that they do not recommend against engine braking--quite the contrary. Think about it: the engine is already spinning, so spinning it at a higher RPM for a few tens of seconds does no more wear than accelerating. The issue is not brake wear--the issue is brake fade, and potentially boiling your brake fluid! When you're going down a long hill, downshift and save your brakes! It could save your life!