Page 202 of 450

4-36 Starting and driving
4
When driving downhill
It is important to take advantage of engine braking by shifting
to a lower shift position while driving on steep downhill roads
in order to prevent the brakes from overheating.
Brake pads and linings
●With new brake pads or linings, avoid where possible sud-
den full application of the brakes for the first 200 km (120
miles) of driving.
● The disc brakes are fitted with a warning device which
emits a shrieking metallic sound while braking if the
brake pads have reached their limit.
If you hear this sound, have the brake pads replaced.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
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Environmental conditions can ha ve an effect on braking. Dur-
ing sudden braking when there is snow, ice, oil, water etc. on
the road surface, a skid may occur. In this situation, steering
control and braking effectivenes s is reduced and the stopping
distance is increased. The vehicl e may also go into an uncon-
trolled spin.
The ABS helps prevent the wheel s from locking during brak-
ing, thus maintaining directional stability, ensuring controlla-
bility and providing optimum braking force.
Driving hints
● When using the anti-lock brak e system (sudden braking),
steering is slightly different from normal driving condi-
tions. Use the steering wheel carefully.
● Always maintain the same di stance from the vehicle in
front of you as you would for a vehicle not equipped with
ABS.
Compared with vehicles not fitted with ABS, your vehicle
may require a longer stopping distance in the following
cases:
• Driving on gravel or snow-covered roads.
• Driving with tyre chains installed.
• Driving on roads where the road surface is pitted or has
other differences in surface height.
• Driving on bumpy roads or other poor driving surfaces.
WARNING!
●Do not leave any objects ne ar the brake pedal or let
a floor mat slide under it; doing so could prevent the
full pedal stroke that woul d be necessary in an emer-
gency. Make sure that the pedal can be operated
freely at all times. Make sure the floor mat is
securely held in place.
WARNING!
● Driving with worn brake pads will make it harder to
stop, and can cause an accident.
Page 334 of 450

6-44 For emergencies
6
On a flooded road
●Avoid flooded roads. Water could enter the brake discs,
resulting in temporarily ineff ective brakes. In such cases,
lightly depress the brake pedal to see if the brakes are
operating properly. If they are not, lightly depress the
pedal several times while driving in order to dry the brake
pads.
● When driving in rain or on a road with many puddles, a
layer of water may form between the tyres and the road
surface.
This reduces a tyre’s frictional resistance on the road,
resulting in loss of steering stability and braking capabil-
ity.
To cope with this, observe the following:
On a snow-covered or frozen road
●When driving on a snow-covered or frozen road, it is rec-
ommended that you use snow tyres or tyre chains.
Refer to the “Snow tyres” and “Tyre chains” sections.
● Avoid high-speed operation, sudden acceleration, abrupt
brake application and sharp cornering.
● Depressing the brake pedal during travel on snowy or icy
roads may cause tyre slippage and skidding. When trac-
tion between the tyres and the road is reduced, the wheels
may skid and the vehicle cannot readily be brought to a
stop by conventional braking techniques. Braking will dif-
fer, depending upon whether you have anti-lock brakes
(ABS). As your vehicle is equipped with anti-lock brakes
(ABS), brake by pressing th e brake pedal hard, and keep-
ing it pressed.
● Allow extra distance between yo ur vehicle and the vehicle
in front of you, and avoid sudden braking.
On a bumpy or rutted road
Drive as slow as possible when driving on bumpy or rutted
roads.
(a) Drive your vehicle at a slow speed.
(b) Do not drive on worn tyres. Always maintain the specified tyre inflation pressures.
CAUTION!
●The impact on tyres and/ or wheels when driving on
a bumpy or rutted road can damage the tyre and/or
wheel.
Page 356 of 450
8-14 Maintenance
8Wa s h e r f l u i d
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Check the washer fluid level in the container.
If the level is low, replenish the container with washer fluid.
NOTE●
The washer fluid container serves the windscreen and rear
window.
During cold weather
To ensure proper oper ation of the washers at low temperatures,
use a fluid containing an anti-freezing agent.
Brake fluid/Clutch fluid*
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The brake fluid (A) and the clutch fluid (B) share a reservoir
tank.
To check the fluid level
The fluid level must be between the “MAX” and “MIN” marks
on the reservoir.
The brake fluid level is monitored by a float. When the fluid
level falls below the “MIN” mark, the brake fluid warning
lamp lights up.
The brake fluid level falls slightly with wear of the brake pads,
but this does not indicate any abnormality.
A- Brake fluid C- Partition
B- Clutch fluid