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03 Your driving environment
87
Foot brake
03
General
The car is equipped with two brake circuits. If
one brake circuit is damaged then this will
mean that the brakes engage at a deeper lev-
el and harder pressure on the pedal is need-
ed to produce the normal braking effect.
The driver’s brake pedal pressure is rein-
forced by a brake servo.
If the brake is used when the engine is
switched off then the pedal will feel stiff and
more force must be used to brake the car.
In very hilly terrain or when driving with a
heavy load the brakes can be relieved by us-
ing engine braking. Engine braking is most
efficiently used if the same gear is used
downhill as up.
For more general information on heavy loads
on the car, see page 218.
Anti-lock braking system
The car is equipped with ABS (Anti-lock
Braking System) that prevents the wheels
from locking during braking. This means the
ability to steer is maintained and it is easier to
swerve to avoid a hazard for example. Vibra-
tion may be felt in the brake pedal when this
is engaged and this is normal.
After the engine has been started and the car
has reached 20 km/h there is a short auto-
matic test of the ABS system. The test may
be felt as pulses in the brake pedal.
Cleaning the brake discs
Coatings of dirt and water on the brake discs
may result in delayed brake function. This
delay is minimised by cleaning the brake lin-
ings.
Manual cleaning is advisable with wet road
surfaces, prior to long-stay parking and after
the car has been washed. Carry this out by
braking gently during a short period while en
route.
Emergency Brake Assistance*
Emergency Brake Assistance (EBA) helps to
increase brake force and so reduce braking
distance. The EBA system detects the driv-
er’s braking style and increases brake force
as necessary. The brake force can be rein-
forced up to the level when the ABS system
is engaged. The EBA function is interrupted
when the pressure on the brake pedal is re-
duced.
WARNING
The brake servo only works when the en-
gine is running.
NOTE
When EBA is activated the brake pedal low-
ers slightly more than usual, depress (hold)
the brake pedal as long as necessary. If the
brake pedal is released then all braking
ceases.