The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even
if your windshield wiper blades are in good
shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see
road signs and traffic signals, pavement markings,
the edge of the road, and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your windshield wiping equipment
in good shape and keep your windshield washer
uid reservoir lled with washer uid. Replace your
windshield wiper inserts when they show signs
of streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or
when strips of rubber start to separate from the
inserts.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They
may not work as well in a quick stop and
may cause pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of
water or a car wash, apply the brake pedal
lightly until the brakes work normally.Driving too fast through large water puddles or
even going through some car washes can cause
problems, too. The water may affect your
brakes. Try to avoid puddles. But if you cannot, try
to slow down before you hit them.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can
build up under your tires that they can actually ride
on the water. This can happen if the road is wet
enough and you are going fast enough. When your
vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact
with the road.
Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can if
your tires do not have much tread or if the
pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a
lot of water is standing on the road. If you can
see re ections from trees, telephone poles,
or other vehicles, and raindrops dimple the water’s
surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds.
There just is not a hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down
when it is raining.
229
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has disc brakes. Disc brake pads
have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed. The sound
can come and go or be heard all the time
your vehicle is moving, except when you are
pushing on the brake pedal rmly.
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon the brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your
vehicle serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly brake repair.Some driving conditions or climates can cause a
brake squeal when the brakes are rst applied
or lightly applied. This does not mean something
is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and evenly tighten
wheel nuts in the proper sequence to torque
speci cations inCapacities and Speci cations on
page 351.
Brake linings should always be replaced as
complete axle sets.Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer/retailer if the brake pedal does
not return to normal height, or if there is a
rapid increase in pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service might be required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without
the vehicle moving, the brakes adjust for wear.
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