Operation under adverse driving conditions

On a flooded road

• Avoid flooded roads. Water could enter the brake discs, resulting in temporarily ineffective brakes. In such cases, lightly depress the brake pedal to see if the brakes operate properly.

If they do not, lightly depress the pedal several times while driving in order to dry the brake pads.

• When driving in rain or on a road with many puddles a layer of water may form between the tyres and the road surface.

This reduces a tyre’s frictional resistance on the road, resulting in loss of steering stability and braking capability.

To cope with this, observe the following items:

(a) Drive your vehicle at slow speed.

(b) Do not drive on worn tyres.

(c) Always maintain the specified tyre inflation pressures.

On a snow-covered or frozen road

• The use of snow tyres or tyre chains is recommended for driving on snow and ice.

Refer to the “Snow tyres” and “Tyre chains” sections.

• Avoid high-speed driving, sudden acceleration, sudden braking, and sharp turns.

• Depressing the brake pedal during travel on snowy or icy roads may cause tyre slippage and skidding. Tyres may slip if the ability of the tyres to grip the road surface lessens.

This may make it more difficult to stop the vehicle with normal braking operations. For vehicles with an anti-lock brake system (ABS), firmly depress and hold down the brake pedal.

• Allow extra distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you, and avoid sudden braking.

• Accumulation of ice on the braking system can cause the wheels to lock. Pull away from a standstill slowly after confirming safety around the vehicle.

CAUTION

• Do not press the accelerator pedal rapidly.

If the wheels break free of the ice, the vehicle could suddenly start moving and possibly cause an accident.

On a bumpy or rutted road

• Drive as slow as possible when driving on bumpy or rutted roads.

CAUTION

• The impact on tyres and/or wheels when driving on a bumpy or rutted road can damage the tyre and/or wheel.