Specifications
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to
get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance. If you get
too
close
to
the
vehicle in front of you, you won’t have time
to
apply
your brakes
if
that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using
Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel a
slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but
this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However,
if
you don’t have anti-lock,
your first reaction
-
to hit the brake pedal hard and
hold it down
-
may be the wrong thing
to
do. Your
wheels can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle can’t
respond
to
your steering. Momentum will carry it in
whatever direction it was headed when the wheels
stopped rolling. That could be
off
the road, into the very
thing you were trying
to
avoid, or into traffic.
If
you don’t have anti-lock, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. You can do this by pushing
on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want
to
squeeze the
brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or
feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal.
This will help you retain steering control.
If
you
do
have
anti-lock, it’s different. See “Anti-Lock Brakes.”
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
If your vehicle has the optional four-speed automatic
transaxle and anti-lock brakes, it also has an Enhanced
Traction System (ETS) that limits wheel spin. This is
especially useful in slippery road conditions. The system
operates only when the transaxle shift lever is in the
REVERSE (R), THIRD
(3)
or AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(D)
position and the system senses that one or both
of the front wheels are spinning or beginning
to
lose traction. When this happens, the system reduces
engine power and may also upshift the transaxle
to
limit
wheel spin.
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