When driving downhill, it is advisable to use engine braking by shifting the manual transmission to a lower gear in advance. This will help avoid overloading the brakes. If you cannot avoid using the brakes, you should press the pedal briefly, braking the car with small jerks.
After fording, driving through a deep puddle, washing, or driving in heavy rain, the effectiveness of the brakes may be somewhat reduced, especially in winter when the friction linings of the brake shoes freeze. In such circumstances, the brake mechanisms should be dried as quickly as possible by a series of short braking applications.
A delay in the operation of the brakes may also occur in winter in cities, when the road surface is sprinkled with salt. This effect is especially noticeable if the car has not been used for a long time. And a crystalline coating has formed on the pads. You should try to clean the pads.
Attention! If the front spoiler is damaged, or if a spoiler or decorative wheel caps are installed, make sure that the air flow to the front brake mechanisms is not restricted. Otherwise, the mechanisms may start to overheat.
Additional devices
Pressure regulator in the hydraulic circuit of the rear wheel brake mechanisms
Note. Pickup, Vanplus and Kombi vehicles, as well as all models equipped with 1.6L, 1.9L engines or air conditioning, are required to be equipped with a pressure regulator in the rear circuit of the hydraulic brake system. The regulator is a device that responds to the vehicle load. This note does not apply to models equipped with anti-lock brakes (ABS).
Vacuum brake booster
All models come standard with a brake booster that only functions when the engine is running, due to the vacuum created in the intake manifold. When towing a vehicle with the engine off, or if the booster fails, the brake pedal must be pressed with slightly more force than usual.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
ABS significantly contributes to increasing the active driving safety of the vehicle. The decisive advantage of ABS compared to conventional braking systems is that even when braking fully on a slippery surface, it is possible to maintain control over the steering.
You cannot expect that the braking distance will be reduced by ABS in all circumstances. On the contrary, when driving, for example, on gravel, fresh snow or ice, the braking distance may even be slightly longer.
When the speed reaches about 20 km/h, the automatic control device is activated. The noise of the pump turning on can be heard.
If the radial speed of rotation of any of the wheels is too low in relation to the speed of the vehicle and there is a risk of it locking, the system reduces the pressure in the hydraulic circuit of the corresponding brake mechanism. The speed of rotation of the wheel increases, ensuring the overall directional stability of the vehicle. The described cycle can be repeated many times per second, which provides the maximum guarantee of maintaining control over the steering under any condition of the road surface.
The operation of the ABS is accompanied by pulsations of the brake pedal, sometimes a characteristic sound may occur, warning the driver about the approaching moment of the beginning of the wheel lock. In order for the ABS to successfully prevent locking, the brake pedal must remain depressed - do not try to brake by intermittently pressing the pedal under any circumstances!
Attention! The presence of ABS in the car does not in any way cancel the action of physical laws. This should be remembered when driving on slippery road surfaces. As soon as ABS starts to function, you should take care to reduce the speed to a safe value corresponding to the road condition.
If there is a malfunction of the ABS, the corresponding indicator lamp on the instrument panel comes on.
If ABS fails, the braking system continues to function normally. In this case, you should adjust your driving style accordingly. At the earliest opportunity, the car should be taken to a service station to have the system diagnosed and the cause of the malfunction eliminated.