Braking System

Power Brakes

Your vehicle is equipped with power brakes that adjust automatically through normal use.

If the engine is not running or stalls while driving, the brake power assist will not function. You can still stop the vehicle by applying more force to the brake pedal than normal. However, the braking distance will be longer than with brake power assist.

When the engine is not running, the reserve braking force is partially depleted with each depression of the brake pedal. Do not pump the brake pedal when power assist has been lost.

WARNING

Observe the following precautions:

• Do not drive with your foot resting on the brake pedal. This will cause abnormally high brake temperatures, excessive wear of the brake linings and pads, and increased braking distance.
• When descending a long or steep hill, use the shift paddles to manually downshift to a lower gear to control speed without overusing the brake pedal. Applying continuous braking will cause the brakes to overheat and may result in a temporary loss of braking performance.
• Wet brakes may reduce the ability to brake safely; the vehicle may also pull to one side when the brakes are applied. Lightly press the brake pedal to check whether they have been affected in this way. Always check the brakes this way after driving through deep water. To dry the brakes, lightly press the brake pedal to warm the brakes while maintaining a safe forward driving speed until braking performance returns to normal. Avoid driving at high speeds until the brakes are working properly.

Disc Brake Wear Indicator

When your brake pads are worn and new pads are needed, you will hear a high-pitched squealing warning sound from the front or rear brakes. You may hear this sound come and go, or it may occur whenever you press the brake pedal.

Note that certain driving conditions or climate may cause brake squeal when you first apply (or lightly apply) the brakes. This is normal and does not indicate a brake problem.

NOTICE

To avoid costly brake repairs, do not continue driving with worn brake pads.

Information

Always replace brake pads as a complete set on the front or rear axle.