2004 Nissan Frontier Owner's Manual - Page 180

BRAKE SYSTEM The brake system has two separate hydraulic circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you will still have braking at two wheels. wheel from locking and sliding. By preventing wheel lockup, the system helps the driver maintain steering control and helps to minimize swerving and spinning on slippery surfaces. WARNING ● While driving on a slippery surface, be careful when braking, accelerating or downshifting. Abrupt braking or accelerating could cause the wheels to skid and result in an accident. ● If the engine is not running or is turned off while driving, the power assist for the brakes will not work. Braking will be harder. BRAKE PRECAUTIONS Vacuum assisted brakes The brake booster aids braking by using engine vacuum. If the engine stops, you can stop the vehicle by depressing the brake pedal. However, greater foot pressure on the brake pedal will be required to stop the vehicle and stopping distance will be longer. Using the system (4-wheel ABS) Depress the brake pedal and hold it down. WARNING Do not pump the brake pedal. Doing so may result in increased stopping distances. Wet brakes When the vehicle is washed or driven through water, the brakes may get wet. As a result, your braking distance will be longer and the vehicle may pull to one side during braking. To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe speed while lightly pressing the brake pedal to heat up the brakes. Do this until the brakes return to normal. Avoid driving the vehicle at high speeds until the brakes function correctly. Using the brakes Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving. This will overheat the brakes, wear out the brake linings and pads faster, and reduce gas mileage. To help reduce brake wear and to prevent the brakes from overheating, reduce speed and downshift to a lower gear before going down a slope or long grade. Overheated brakes may reduce braking performance and could result in loss of vehicle control. Normal operation The anti-lock brake system does not operate at speeds below 3 - 6 MPH (5 - 10 km/h). (The speeds vary according to road conditions.) When driving, the anti-lock brake system controls the wheels so they will not lock when braking abruptly or when braking on a slippery road. Thus, difficult steering and swerving of the vehicle due to locked wheels is minimized. The system detects the wheel rotation rate and electronically controls the pressure applied to each brake. Slight vibration on the brake pedal accompanied by noise usually occurs while the ABS system is operating. Such vibration and noise encountered during abrupt braking is not a problem, but indicates that the system is functioning ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) The anti-lock brake system controls the brakes so the wheels do not lock when braking abruptly or when braking on slippery surfaces. The system detects the rotation speed at each wheel and varies the brake fluid pressure to prevent each 5-28 Starting and driving