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Driving safety systems

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ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
BAS (Brake Assist)
ESP® (Electronic Stability Program)

In this section, you will find information about the following driving safety systems:

  • ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)

  • BAS (Brake Assist System)

  • ESP® (Electronic Stability Program)

In wintry road conditions, use winter tyres (M+S tyres) and snow chains if necessary. Only this way will ABS, BAS and ESP® be fully effective.
Risk of accident

The risk of an accident increases if you drive too quickly, especially when cornering, on wet and icy roads and if you drive too close to the vehicle in front.

The driving safety systems described in this section are unable to reduce this risk or override the laws of physics.

You should therefore always adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road and weather conditions and maintain a sufficient distance from other road users and objects on the road.

ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)

ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way that the wheels do not lock when you brake. This allows you to continue steering the vehicle when braking.

ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h upwards, regardless of road-surface conditions.

ABS works on slippery surfaces, even when you only brake gently.

Risk of accident

Do not depress the brake pedal several times in quick succession (pumping). Depress the brake firmly and evenly. Pumping the brake pedal reduces the braking effect.

Braking

When ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel a pulsing in the brake pedal.

If ABS intervenes:

  

continue to depress the brake pedal with force until the braking situation is over

For full braking application:

  

depress the brake pedal with maximum force
Risk of accident

You should always adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road and weather conditions and maintain a sufficient distance from other road users and objects on the road.

If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when braking. This limits the steerability of the vehicle when braking and the braking distance may increase.

If ABS is deactivated due to a fault, then BAS is also deactivated.

BAS (Brake Assist)

BAS operates in emergency braking situations. If you depress the brake pedal quickly, BAS automatically boosts the braking force and thus shortens the stopping distance.

  

Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed until the emergency braking situation is over.
 

ABS prevents the wheels from locking.

The brakes will function as usual once you release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated.

Risk of accident

If BAS has malfunctioned, the braking system remains available with full brake boosting effect. However, braking force is not automatically increased in emergency braking situations and the stopping distance may increase.

ESP® (Electronic Stability Program)

ESP® monitors driving stability and traction, i.e. power transmission between the tyres and the road surface.

ESP® detects when a wheel spins or the vehicle enters a skid. ESP® stabilises the vehicle by braking individual wheels and limiting the engine power output, and assists you when pulling away on a wet or slippery road surface. ESP® also stabilises the vehicle during braking.

When ESP® intervenes, the warning lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.

Risk of accident

If the  warning lamp in the instrument cluster flashes, proceed as follows:

  • Do not deactivate ESP® under any circumstances.

  • Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as necessary when pulling away.

  • Adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road and weather conditions.

The vehicle could otherwise go into a skid.

ESP® cannot reduce the risk of an accident if you drive too fast. ESP® cannot override the laws of physics.

The engine must be off when the parking brake is being checked on the brake dynamometer, or when the vehicle is towed with its front axle raised. Application of the brakes by ESP® could otherwise destroy the brake system on the rear axle.

Only use wheels with the recommended tyre sizes. Only then will ESP® function properly.

Deactivating/activating ESP®

ESP® is activated automatically when the engine is running.

It may be best to deactivate ESP® in the following situations:

  • when using snow chains

  • in deep snow

  • on sand or gravel

Risk of accident

Activate ESP® as soon as the situations described above no longer apply. ESP® will otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts to spin.

If you deactivate ESP®:

  • ESP® no longer improves driving stability

  • the engine's torque is no longer limited and the drive wheels can spin. The spinning of the wheels results in a cutting action, which provides better grip

  • traction control is still activated

  • ESP® still provides support when you brake

If ESP® is deactivated and one or more wheels start to spin, the  warning lamp in the instrument cluster flashes. ESP® does not then stabilise the vehicle.

Deactivates/activates ESP®
  

To deactivate/activate: press button until the warning lamp lights up or goes out in the instrument cluster.
Risk of accident

ESP® is deactivated if the  warning lamp in the instrument cluster lights up continuously when the engine is running. The risk of your vehicle skidding is then increased in certain situations.

You should therefore always adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road and weather conditions.