Operation Manual

221Driving and operation
Brake system
The brakes are an important factor for
traffic safety.
To improve effectiveness, do not brake
unnecessarily hard for the first 120 miles
(200 km) after new brake pads have been
fitted.
Brake pad wear must not exceed a speci-
fied limit. Regular maintenance as detailed
in the Service Booklet is therefore of the
utmost importance for traffic safety.
Have worn brake pads replaced by a
workshop.
Tested and approved pads give optimum
braking performance.
Brake pads worn to the minimum level
cause grinding noises. You may continue
to drive but have the pads replaced as
soon as possible. To change the pads, con-
tact a workshop.
Picture no: 17206t.tif
Brake assist
If the brake pedal is operated with a pow-
erful push, the vehicle is automatically
braked at full braking power in order to
achieve the shortest possible braking dis-
tanc e when full-on b ra king occurs (brak ing
assistant).
Maintain steady pressure on the brake
pedal for as long as full-on braking is to
continue. When the brake pedal is
released, the maximum brake force ampli-
fication is taken away.
Adaptive brake light 3
During full-on braking, all three brake
lights flash for the duration of ABS control.
Foot brake
The foot brake comprises two independent
brake circuits.
If one brake circuit fails, the vehicle can still
be braked with the other brake circuit.
However the braking effect will occur at a
lower pedal position and considerably
more force is required. The braking dis-
tance is longer. Contact a workshop before
continuing to drive.
To ensure the full pedal travel can be
utilized, especially in case of a fault in one
of the brake circuits, there must be no mats
in the vicinity of the pedals – see page 199.
When the engine is not running, the sup-
port of the brake servo unit disappears
once the brake pedal has been depressed
once or twice. Braking effect is not
reduced, but braking requires significantly
greater force. This is especially important
to bear in mind when towing.