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06
Power brakes
Your vehicle has power-assisted
brakes that adjust automatically
through normal usage.
If the engine is not running or is
turned off while driving, the power
assist for the brakes will not work.
You can still stop your vehicle by
applying greater force to the brake
pedal than typical. The stopping dis-
tance, however, will be longer than
with power brakes.
When the engine is not running, the
reserve brake power is partially
depleted each time the brake pedal is
applied. Do not pump the brake pedal
when the power assist has been
interrupted.
Pump the brake pedal only when
necessary to maintain steering con-
trol on slippery surfaces.
WARNING
Take the following precautions:
• Do not drive with your foot rest
-
ing on the brake pedal. This will
create abnormal high brake tem-
peratures, excessive brake lin-
ing and pad wear, and increased
stopping distances.
• When descending down a long
or steep hill, downshift to a
lower gear in order to control
your speed without using the
brake pedal excessively.
Applying the brakes continu-
ously will cause the brakes to
overheat and could result in a
temporary loss of braking per-
formance.
• Wet brakes may impair the vehi
-
cle’s ability to safely slow down;
the vehicle may also pull to one
side when the brakes are
applied. Applying the brakes
lightly will indicate whether they
have been affected in this way.
Always test your brakes in this
fashion after driving through
deep water. To dry the brakes,
lightly tap the brake pedal to
heat up the brakes while main-
taining a safe forward speed
until brake performance returns
to normal. Avoid driving at high
speeds until the brakes function
correctly.
Disc brakes wear indicator
When your brake pads are worn and
new pads are required, you will hear
a high pitched warning sound from
your front or rear brakes. You may
hear this sound come and go or it
may occur whenever you depress the
brake pedal.
Note that some driving conditions or
climates may cause a brake squeal
when you first apply (or lightly apply)
the brakes. This is normal and does
not indicate a problem with your
brakes.
NOTICE
To avoid costly brake repairs, do
not continue to drive with worn
brake pads.
i
Information
Always replace brake pads as complete
front or rear axle sets.
BRAKING SYSTEM
