03 Your driving environment
Parking brake
03
137
General
Function
A faint electric motor noise can be heard when
the electrical parking brake is being applied.
The noise can also be heard during the auto-
matic function checking of the parking brake.
If the car is stationary when the parking brake
is applied then it only acts on the rear wheels.
If it is applied when the car is moving then the
normal foot brake is used, i.e. the brake acts
on all four wheels. Brake function changes over
to the rear wheels when the car is almost sta-
tionary.
Low battery voltage
If the battery voltage is too low then the parking
brake can neither be released nor applied.
Connect a donor battery if the battery voltage
is too low, see page 120.
Applying the parking brake
Parking brake control - apply.
1. Press the foot brake pedal down firmly.
2. Press the control.
> The combined instrument panel symbol
starts flashing - once there is a
constant glow it is applied.
3. Release the foot brake pedal and make
sure that the car is at a standstill position.
•
When parking the vehicle, always engage
1st gear (for manual gearbox) or put the
gear selector in position P (for automatic
gearbox).
In an emergency the parking brake can be
applied when the vehicle is moving by depress-
ing the control. When the control is released or
the accelerator pedal is depressed the braking
is interrupted.
NOTE
In the event of emergency braking at speeds
above 10 km/h a signal sounds during the
braking procedure.
Parking on a hill
If the car is parked facing uphill:
•
Turn the wheels away from the kerb.
If the car is parked facing downhill:
•
Turn the wheels towards the kerb.
WARNING
Always apply the parking brake when park-
ing on a slope - leaving the car in gear, or in
P if it has automatic transmission, is not suf-
ficient to hold the car in all situation.
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