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Driving
Braking and parking
Br
aking system
Control lamps
It lights up red
Brake fluid level too low
›››
page 280 or fault in the
brake system.
Do not carry on driving!
It lights up red
Handbrake applied
›
››
page 238.
The warning lamp turns off when the handbrake is re-
leased.
WARNING
●
When the ignition is s
witched on, the sta-
tus of the brake system and the brake as-
sist functions is automatically checked.
The control lights on the instrument cluster
light up briefly and then turn off again. If a
warning light stays on permanently, there
is a fault. Seek qualified technical assis-
tance immediately.
●
If the brake warning lamp does not go
out or if it lights up when driving, the brake
fluid level in the reservoir is too lo so there
is a risk of an accident
›››
page 280, Brake
fluid. Stop the vehicle and do not drive on.
Obtain technical assistance.
●
If the br
ake warning lamp lights up to-
gether with the ABS lamp this could be
due to an ABS fault. When this function
fails, the rear wheels can lock up. Under
certain circumstances, the rear of the vehi-
cle may skid, with the danger of losing con-
trol. Stop and seek technical assistance.
Information about the brakes
New brake pads
F
or the first 200 to 300 km (100 to 200
miles), new brake pads have not yet reached
their maximum braking capacity, and need to
be “run in” first. However, you can compen-
sate for the slightly reduced braking effect by
applying more pressure on the brake pedal.
Avoid overloading the brakes while running
them in.
Wear
The rate of wear on the brake pads depends
a great deal on how you drive and the condi-
tions in which the vehicle is operated. This is a
particular problem in urban traffic and short
stretches, or with very sporty driving.
Depending on the speed, the braking force
and the environmental conditions (e.g. tem-
perature, air humidity, etc.) noises may be
produced when braking.
Wet roads or road salt
In cert
ain situations (for example, on driving
through flooded areas, in severe downpours
or after washing the vehicle) the braking ac-
tion could be delayed if the discs and pads
are damp, or frozen in winter. In this case the
brakes should be “dried” by pressing the
brake pedal several times.
At high speed and with the windscreen wipers
activated, the brake pads will briefly touch
the brake discs. This takes place, although
unnoticeable to the driver, at regular intervals
to improve the response time of the brakes
when they are wet.
The effectiveness of the brakes can also be
temporarily reduced if the vehicle is driven for
some distance without using the brakes when
there is a lot of salt on the road in winter. The
layer of salt that accumulates on the discs
and pads can be removed by gently apply-
ing the brakes a few times.
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for corrosion to
form on the discs and dirt to build up on the
brake pads if the vehicle is used infrequently
or the brakes are not used very often.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if rust
has formed on the disks, it is advisable to
clean off the pads and disks by braking firmly
a few times at a moderately high speed
›››
.
236
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