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Although OSHA or some governmental regulations may require the use
of an electrical or mechanical back-up alarm to warn bystanders, such an
alarm does not ensure that the intended path is clear. When in doubt,
get out of the vehicle and visually check the intended path is clear;
back-up slowly as to allow others time to move, if necessary.
If an electrical back-up alarm is installed, it should be connected to the
back-up lamp circuit.
Parking your vehicle
Always use the parking brake. When parking on a grade, block the
wheels and turn the front wheels to one side so that if the vehicle rolls,
the front tires will act against the curb to stop the vehicle. The front
wheels will be more effective at stopping a rolling vehicle than the rear
wheels.
WARNING:When parking your vehicle, do not leave the
transmission in gear; if the key is in the ON position and the
vehicle rolls, the engine could start. Failure to follow these instructions
could result in an unattended vehicle moving, possibly causing personal
injury or property damage.
Driving through water
If driving through deep or standing water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly especially if the depth is not known. Never drive through water
that is higher than the bottom of the hubs. Traction or brake capability
may be limited and your vehicle may stall. Water may also enter your
engine’s air intake and severely damage your engine, drive axles or the
transmission (through the breather ports).
Once through the water, always dry the brakes by moving your vehicle
slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal. Wet brakes do
not stop the vehicle as quickly as dry brakes.
ENGINE IDLE SHUTDOWN (IF EQUIPPED)
Your vehicle may be equipped with an Engine Idle Shutdown system.
This system will automatically shut down your engine when it has been
idling in P (Park) or N (Neutral) for five minutes (parking brake set) or
15 minutes (parking brake not set). During the engine idle shutdown
process:
•TheService Engine Soonlight will flash, once per second, for the
final 30 seconds just prior to shutdown.
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•Within the final 30 seconds, the timer can be reset by:
1. changing the position of the accelerator pedal, or
2. changing the brake pedal, clutch pedal, or park brake from engaged
to disengaged or from disengaged to engaged.
•When the timer reaches zero, the engine will shut down.
•In this event, the key remains in the ON (Run) position, and power
continues to be supplied to the accessories.
Battery power may be drained if the key is left in the ON (Run)
position without the engine running.
Note:The engine idle shutdown timer will not start if:
•The engine is operating in power take-off (PTO) mode.
•The engine coolant temperature is below 60° F (16° C).
•The exhaust emission control system is regenerating the diesel
particulate filter (DPF).
ENGINE AUTOMATIC SHUTDOWN WARNING LIGHT OR CHIME
(IF EQUIPPED)
Your vehicle may be equipped with an automatic shutdown feature that
stops the engine in the event of high coolant temperature, low engine oil
pressure, high diesel particulate filter soot loading or low engine coolant
level. A warning light in the instrument cluster and a warning chime will
indicate high engine coolant temperature, low engine oil pressure or the
need to have the diesel particulate filter cleaned or serviced. If the
engine coolant temperature becomes too high, engine oil pressure too
low or the diesel particulate filter too restricted, the engine will
automatically shut down.
If the engine shuts down, it can be restarted and operated for
30 seconds at a time or until the problem is corrected. Do not attempt to
use this restarting feature to drive the vehicle very far as serious engine
damage could result.
WARNING:In the event of engine shutdown, make sure the
vehicle is safely off the road and the problem is remedied prior
to returning to the road. Failure to remove the vehicle from the road
could result in an accident, causing serious injury or death.
GENERAL BRAKE INFORMATION
All standard equipment brakes are designed to be self-adjusting.
Automatic adjustment, when required, occurs whenever the brakes are
applied and released during forward or reverse operation. Refer to the
Scheduled Maintenance Guidechapter for scheduled maintenance.
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Occasional brake noise is normal and often does not indicate a
performance concern with the vehicle’s brake system. In normal
operation, automotive brake systems may emit occasional or intermittent
squeal or groan noises when the brakes are applied. Such noises are
usually heard during the first few brake applications in the morning;
however, they may be heard at any time while braking and can be
aggravated by environmental conditions such as cold, heat, moisture,
road dust, salt or mud. If a “metal-to-metal,” “continuous grinding” or
“continuous squeal” sound is present while braking, the brake linings
may be worn-out and should be inspected by a qualified service
technician.
Know the required stopping distances for all driving conditions that may
be encountered. For longer brake lining life, take full advantage of engine
braking power when coming to a stop.
WARNING:Do not drive with your foot resting on the brake
pedal. This will result in abnormally high brake temperatures,
excessive lining wear and increased stopping distances.
Before descending a long or steep hill, shift to a lower gear and avoid
continuous application of the brakes. Normally, choose the same gear to
descend the hill that you would use to ascend the hill.
WARNING:Continuous application of the brakes will cause the
brakes to overheat, resulting in a temporary loss of braking.
If brakes do not grip well
•If you have been driving through deep water, gently apply the brakes
several times while the vehicle is moving slowly.
•Let the brakes cool if you have been using them excessively, as in
mountain driving or after several fast, high speed stops.
•Check brake adjustment.
•Check brake linings for excessive wear.
•Check system air pressure. (Air brakes only)
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HYDRAULIC BRAKES (IF EQUIPPED)
Full power brake system
The Full Power Brake System incorporates standard braking, Anti-lock
Braking (ABS), and optional Power Park Brake into one fully integrated
hydraulic brake system. With the Full Power Brake System, braking
energy is stored, similar to an air brake system, resulting in faster
response times and shorter stopping distances. This is accomplished
using motor/pump assemblies that pressurized the system by pumping
brake fluid into accumulators. This is similar to the air compressor of an
air brake system pressurizing the air tanks. The system includes a master
cylinder that provides the normal pedal “feel” and transfers the pedal
force, via brake fluid, to the main components of the Full Power Brake
System.
NOTE:The motor/pumps will run momentarily with the ignition switch
in the ON/RUN positions or the switch is in the OFF position and the
brake pedal is depressed.
WARNING:If the red BRAKE warning lamp in the instrument
cluster remains illuminated after engine start up, this indicates a
system failure in the Full Power Brake System. Stop the vehicle safely
as soon as possible and seek service immediately.
NOTE:During normal driving the pump/motors may be heard
replenishing the accumulators. This is a normal function of the Full
Power Brake System.
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Parking brake
Apply the parking brake whenever
the vehicle is parked. To set the
parking brake, pull handle up until it
snaps into the locked position.
WARNING:Do not use the
gearshift selector in place of
the parking brake. Always set the
parking brake fully AND make
sure the gearshift selector is in R
(Reverse) for vehicles equipped
with manual transmission, P
(Park)(if equipped)or N
(Neutral) for vehicles with
automatic transmission. Use of
wheel chocks is also
recommended in hilly or off-road
usage.
WARNING:Unexpected
and possible sudden vehicle
movement may occur if these
precautions are not taken.
When the parking brake is out of adjustment, seek service immediately.
The parking BRAKE warning lamp
in the instrument cluster illuminates
and will remain illuminated (when
the ignition is turned on) until the
parking brake is released.
P
BRAKE
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Push the palm release lever on the
parking brake handle and push
down as far as possible to release
the brake. Driving with the parking
brake on will cause the brakes to
wear out quickly and reduce fuel
economy.
WARNING:If the parking
brake is fully released but
the parking brake warning lamp
remains illuminated, the brakes
may not be working properly. See
your dealer or a qualified service
technician.
The parking brake is not
recommended to stop a moving vehicle. However, if the normal brakes
fail, the parking brake can be used to stop your vehicle in an emergency.
Since the parking brake only applies retardation to the rear wheels, the
vehicle’s stopping distance will increase greatly and the handling of your
vehicle will be adversely affected.
POWER PARK (PARKING BRAKE) OPTION (IF EQUIPPED)
This feature uses a brake chamber mounted on the chassis to power a
spring-applied, air-released driveline parking brake. It is controlled by a
yellow, dash-mounted parking brake knob.
The Power Park Brake is controlled by the park brake dash-mounted,
yellow knob-type switch. The switch has three positions: apply (out),
neutral (central), and release (in). The switch is spring-loaded to return
to the neutral (central) position after being pushed or pulled.
There is no visual indication at the knob that the park brake is applied or
released. Always observe the gauge cluster Park Brake indicator to
determine if the park brake is applied or released.
Applying the parking brake
To apply the parking brake, pull the yellow, dash-mounted parking brake
knob. A red light on the dash panel should illuminate indicating that the
parking brake has been successfully set.
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Note:If the park brake indicator light blinks and a warning chime
sounds when the control knob is pulled, the parking brake is not
functioning properly; seek immediate service from your dealer. Refer to
Parking Brake Warning Systemin this section.
Releasing the parking brake
Note:Read and understand the following steps and perform them
whenever you prepare to drive the vehicle.
Note:The parking brake will not disengage unless sufficient system air
pressure is available.
For vehicles with automatic transmissions - dash-mounted push
button (Allison 3000 Series) and steering column-mounted
(Allison 2200 and 2500) gear selection:
1. With the engine running, depress and hold the service brake pedal.
2. Select the appropriate drive gear.
3. Push and hold the yellow, dash-mounted parking brake knob until the
Park Brake indicator goes out, then release.
For vehicles with manual transmissions -
(TTC 7–speed, Eaton/Fuller 5–speed and 6–speed):
1. With the engine running, depress and hold the service brake pedal.
2. Depress and hold the clutch pedal.
3. Select the appropriate drive gear.
4. Push and hold the yellow, dash-mounted parking brake knob until the
Park Brake indicator goes out, then release.
WARNING:Hold the brake pedal down while moving the
gearshift lever from position to position. If the brake pedal is not
held down, the vehicle may move unexpectedly resulting in property
damage, personal injury or death.
Parking brake light illumination due to low air pressure
If at any time during vehicle operation air pressure is too low, the
parking brake may apply and the parking brake light will turn on.
If the parking brake is applied due to low air pressure, immediate service
is required to the parking brake system.
Parking brake warning system
If the parking brake warning light blinks and a chime sounds when
pulling the yellow control knob out, this indicates the parking brake is
not functioning properly; seek service for the parking brake immediately.
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The light will blink and the chime will sound until the yellow control
knob is pushed in or approximately eight minutes have passed. If the
yellow control knob is pulled out again, the light will blink and the chime
will sound as a reminder that immediate service is required to the
parking brake system.
Releasing spring manually
WARNING:Do not attempt to disassemble the parking brake
chamber under any circumstances. The high spring load may
cause serious injury.
If hydraulic pressure is released from the spring brake chamber the
power spring applies the brake and, unless hydraulic pressure can be
re-established, the spring brake must be released as follows in order to
move the vehicle.
WARNING:Block the wheels to help prevent the vehicle from
moving.
WARNING:Unexpected and possibly sudden vehicle movement
may occur if these precautions are not taken.
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