Should I downshift when breaking?

Toyota commissioned Yamaha to design the 2ZZ-GE, and it shares several similarities with street bike engines, the most notable being the relatively high RPM design. The high-output cam profile is not activated until above 6000 RPM (the exact point of engagement is different depending on the vehicle, year, and ECU involved). On all of the Toyota-built vehicles, redline begins at 8200 RPM while the tachometer is typically numbered to 9000, giving an incredibly small "unusable" range. The Toyota ECU electronicly limits RPMs (through fuel and/or spark cut) to ~8200 - it is impossible to "over-rev" the engine with the throttle alone, a downshift from a higher gear is required. The motor will happily run at ~4000 RPM for extended periods of time, and during stress testing the motor will be run at redline for extended periods without issue. For the first few years of production, the engines were notorious for breaking off the "lift bolts" inside the engine. This didn't do any damage, but did hamper performance, as the high output cam profile would not engage properly. Toyota fixed the problem in late 2002, and there is a TSB for dealers showing what bolt to replace and the redesigned bolt.