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uuBraking uBrake System
576
Driving
Your vehicle is equipped with disc brakes at all four wh eels. The brake assist system
increases the stopping force when you depress the brake pedal hard in an
emergency situation. The anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps you retain steering
control when braking very hard.
2 Brake Assist System P. 581
2 Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) P. 580
■Foot Brake1Foot Brake
Check the brakes after driving through deep water,
or if there is a buildup of road surface water. If
necessary, dry the brakes by lightly depressing the
pedal several times.
If you hear a continuous me tallic friction sound when
applying the brakes, this is caused by the brake wear
indicator rubbing on the brake rotor and indicates
that the brake pads need to be replaced. Have the
vehicle checked by a deal er. If you hear only an
occasional squeak or squeal when you initially apply
the brake pedal, this may be normal and caused by
high frequency vibr ation of the brake pads against
the rotating brake disc.
Applying constant pressure to the brakes while going
down a long hill can cause the brakes to heat up,
resulting in a loss of stopping power.
Therefore, when descendi ng a long hill, release the
accelerator pedal and allow regenerative braking to
slow the vehicle down.
To adjust the rate of deceleration, use the
deceleration pa ddle selector.
When the high voltage battery has fully recharged,
regenerative braking may not be possible.
2 POWER Gauge P. 114
2 CHARGE/DECEL Gauge P. 114
2 Deceleration Paddle Selector P. 466
Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, as it will lightly apply the brakes and cause
them to lose effectiveness over time and reduce pad
life. It will also conf use drivers behind you.
Page 578 of 719

Continued577
uuBraking uBrake System
Driving
Keeps the brake applied after releasing the brake pedal until the accelerator pedal is
pressed. You can use this system while th e vehicle is temporarily stopped, like at
traffic lights and in heavy traffic.
■Turning on the system Fasten your seat belt properly, then turn the
power system on. Press the automatic brake
hold button.u The automatic brake hold system
indicator comes on. The system is turned
on.
The system is in the prev iously selected on or
off setting each time you fasten the driver’s
seat belt and turn the power system on.
■Activating the system Depress the brake pedal to come to a
complete stop. The transmission must not be
in
(P or (R.
u The automatic brake hold indicator
comes on. Braking is kept for up to 10
minutes.
u Release the brake pedal after the
automatic brake hold indicator comes
on.
■Automatic Brake Hold1Automatic Brake Hold
3WARNING
Activating the automatic brake hold system
on steep hills or slippery roads may still
allow the vehicle to move if you remove
your foot from the brake pedal.
If a vehicle unexpectedly moves, it may
cause a crash resulting in serious injury or
death.
Never activate the automatic brake hold
system or rely on it to keep a vehicle from
moving when stopped on a steep hill or
slippery roads.
3WARNING
Using the automatic brake hold system to
park the vehicle may result in the vehicle
unexpectedly moving.
If a vehicle moves unexpectedly, it may
cause a crash, resulting in serious injury or
death.
Never leave the vehicle when braking is
temporarily kept by automatic brake hold
and always park the vehicle by putting the
transmission in
( P and applying the parking
brake.
Comes
On
Automatic Brake Hold Button
On
Brake Pedal
Comes
On Comes
On
U.S.
Canada
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uuBraking uBrake System
578
Driving
■Canceling the system
Depress the accelerator pedal while the
transmission is in a position other than
(P or
(N. The system is canceled and the vehicle
starts to move. u The automatic brake hold indicator goes
off. The system continues to be on.
■The system automatically cancels when:
• You engage the parking brake.
• You depress the brake pedal a nd put the transmission into
(P or (R.
■The system automatically cancels and the parking brake is applied when:
• Braking is kept for more than 10 minutes.
• The driver’s seat belt is unfastened.
• The power system is turned off.
• There is a problem with au tomatic brake hold system.
1Automatic Brake Hold
While the system is activated, you can turn the power
system off or park the vehicle through the same
procedure as you normally do.
2 When Stopped P. 582
You may hear an operating noi se if the vehicle moves
while the automatic brake hold system is in
operation.
3WARNING
When using the automatic brake hold,
keep your foot on the brake pedal until the
automatic brake hold indicator comes on.
If the vehicle unexpectedly moves, it may
cause a crash resulting in serious injury or
death.
Release your foot from the brake pedal
after the automatic brake hold indicator
comes on.On
Accelerator Pedal
Goes
Off
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579
uuBraking uBrake System
Driving
■Turning off the automa tic brake hold system
Only the automatic brake hold system
indicator comes on:
•Press the automatic brake hold button.
u The automatic brake hold system
indicator goes off.
When the automatic brake hold indicator
comes on at the same time:
• Press the automatic brake hold button with
the brake pedal depressed.
u The automatic brake hold system
indicator and the au tomatic brake hold
indicator go off.1 Turning off the automatic brake hold system
Make sure to turn off the automatic brake hold
system before using an automated car wash.
If you turn the power system off or unfasten the
driver’s seat belt whil e the automatic brake hold
system is on, the automati c brake hold system will
automatically turn off. In this case, when the driver’s
seat belt is fastened and the power system is turned
back on, the automatic brake hold system will turn
on without needing to pr ess the automatic brake
hold button.
Automatic Brake Hold Button
Goes
Off
Goes
Off
Page 581 of 719

580
uuBraking uAnti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Driving
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Helps prevent the wheels from locking up, a nd helps you retain steering control by
pumping the brakes rapidly, much faster than you can.
The electronic brake distribution (EBD) system, which is part of the ABS, also
balances the front-to-rear braking distri bution according to vehicle loading.
You should never pump the brake pedal. Let the ABS work for you by always
keeping firm, steady pressure on the brake pe dal. This is sometimes referred to as
“stomp and steer.”
■ABS operation
The brake pedal may pulsate slightly when the ABS is working. Depress the brake
pedal and keep holding the pedal firmly dow n. On dry pavement, you will need to
press on the brake pedal very hard before the ABS activates. However, you may feel
the ABS activate immediately if yo u are trying to stop on snow or ice.
ABS may activate when you depress the brake pedal when driving on:
• Wet or snow covered roads.
• Roads paved with stone.
• Roads with uneven surfaces, such as potholes, cracks, manholes, etc.
When the vehicle speed goes unde r 6 mph (10 km/h), the ABS stops.
■ABS1Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
NOTICE
The ABS may not function correctly if you use a tire of
the incorrect size or type.
If the ABS indicator comes on while driving, there
may be a problem with the system.
While normal braking will not be affected, there is a
possibility that the ABS wi ll not be operating. Have
your vehicle checked by a dealer immediately.
The ABS is not designed for the purpose of reducing
the time or distance it takes for a vehicle to stop: It is
designed to limit brake lo ckup which can lead to
skidding and loss of steering control.
In the following cases, yo ur vehicle may need more
distance to stop than a vehicle without the ABS:
•You are driving on rough or uneven road surfaces,
such as gravel or snow.
•The tires are equipped with tire chains.
The following may be observed with the ABS system:
•Motor sounds coming from the engine
compartment when the brakes are applied, or
when system checks are being performed after the
power system has been turned on and while the
vehicle accelerates.
•Brake pedal and/or the vehicle body vibration when
ABS activates.
These vibrations and sounds are normal to ABS
systems and are no cause for concern.
Page 582 of 719
581
uuBraking uBrake Assist System
Driving
Brake Assist System
Designed to assist the driver by generating greater braking force when you depress
the brake pedal hard during emergency braking.
■Brake assist system operation
Press the brake pedal firmly for more powerful braking.
When brake assist operates, the pedal may wiggle slightly and an operating noise
may be heard. This is normal. Keep holding the brake pedal firmly down.
Page 583 of 719

582
Driving
Parking Your Vehicle
When Stopped
1.Depress the brake pedal firmly.
2. With the brake pedal depressed, pull up th e electric parking brake switch slowly,
but fully.
3. Put the transmission into
(P.
4. Turn the power system off.
Always set the parking brake, in particular if you are parked on an incline.
1 Parking Your Vehicle
3WARNING
The vehicle can roll aw ay if left unattended
without confirming that Park is engaged.
A vehicle that rolls away could cause a crash
resulting in seriou s injury or death.
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal
until you have confirmed that
( P is shown
on the shift posi tion indicator.
1When Stopped
NOTICE
The following can damage the driveline:
•Depressing the accelera tor and brake pedals
simultaneously.
•Changing to ( P before the vehicle stops
completely.
When facing uphill, do not hold the vehicle by
depressing the accelerator pedal.
Doing so may cause the power system to overheat
and fail.
Do not park your vehicle near flammable objects,
such as dry grass, oil, or timber.
Heat from the exhaust can cause a fire.
Page 584 of 719
583
uuParking Your Vehicle uWhen Stopped
Driving
1When Stopped
In extremely cold temperatures, the parking brake
may freeze up if applied. If such temperatures are
expected, do not apply the parking brake but, if
parking on a slope, either turn the front wheels so
they will contact the curb if the vehicle rolls down the
slope or block the wheels to keep the vehicle from
moving. If you do not take either precaution, the
vehicle may roll unexpect edly, leading to a crash.