Power-assisted brakes

Your vehicle has power-assisted brakes that adjust automatically through normal usage.

If the power-assisted brakes lose power because of a stalled engine or some other reason, you can still stop your vehicle by engaging the brake pedal with greater force than you normally would. However, the required stopping distance will be greater.

When the engine is not running, the reserve brake power is partially depleted each time you engage the brake pedal. Do not engage the brake pedal when the power assist has been interrupted.

Only engage the brake pedal when necessary to maintain steering control on slippery surfaces.

TIP

  • When you engage the brake pedal under certain driving or weather conditions, you may hear noise. This is not a brake malfunction.

  • When driving on a road where de-icing chemicals have been applied, you may hear noises from the brake or abnormal abrasion of tires. Engage the brake pedal under safe traffic conditions to remove the de-icing chemicals from the brake disk and pad.

NOTE

Brake pedal

Do not drive with your foot resting on the brake pedal. This creates abnormally high brake temperatures, which can cause excessive wear to the brake lining and pad.

WARNING

Steep hill braking

To avoid continuous engagement of the brake pedal when descending a long or steep hill, shift the vehicle to a lower gear. Continuous engagement of the brakes can cause them to overheat and could result in a temporary loss of braking performance.

Wet brakes may impair your vehicle’s ability to slow down safely; your vehicle may drift to one side when you engage the brake pedal. Lightly engaging the brake pedal indicates whether the brakes have been affected in this way. Always test your brakes in this fashion after driving through deep water. To dry the brakes, engage them lightly while maintaining a safe forward speed until brake performance returns to normal.