Driving your vehicle
6-64
Driving in the rain
Rain and wet roads can make driving 
dangerous. Here are a few things to 
consider when driving in the rain or on 
slick pavement:
•  Slow down and allow extra following 
distance. A heavy rainfall makes 
it harder to see and increases the 
distance needed to stop your vehicle.
•  Turn OFF your Cruise Control. (if 
equipped)
•  Replace your windscreen wiper blades 
when they show signs of streaking or 
missing areas on the windscreen.
•  Be sure your tyres have enough tread. 
If your tyres do not have enough 
tread, making a quick stop on wet 
pavement can cause a skid and 
possibly lead to an accident. See 
“Tyre Tread” section in chapter 9.
•  Turn on your headlamps to make it 
easier for others to see you.
•  Driving too fast through large puddles 
can affect your brakes. If you must go 
through puddles, try to drive through 
them slowly.
•  If you believe your brakes may be wet, 
apply them lightly whilst driving until 
normal braking operation returns.
Hydroplaning
If the road is wet enough and you are 
going fast enough, your vehicle may 
have little or no contact with the road 
surface and actually ride on the water. 
The best advice is SLOW DOWN when 
the road is wet.
The risk of hydroplaning increases as 
the depth of tyre tread decreases, refer 
to “Tyre Tread” section in chapter 9.
Driving in flooded areas
Avoid driving through flooded areas 
unless you are sure the water is no 
higher than the bottom of the wheel hub. 
Drive through any water slowly. Allow 
adequate stopping distance because 
brake performance may be reduced.
After driving through water, dry the 
brakes by gently applying them several 
times whilst the vehicle is moving slowly.
Highway driving
Tyres
Adjust the tyre inflation, as specified. 
Under-inflation may overheat or damage 
the tyres.
Do not install worn-out or damaged 
tyres, which may reduce traction or fail 
the braking operation.
 Information
Never over-inflate your tyres above the 
maximum inflation pressure, as specified 
on your tyres.
Fuel, engine coolant and engine oil
Driving at higher speeds on the highway 
consumes more fuel and is less efficient 
than driving at a slower, more moderate 
speed. Maintain a moderate speed in 
order to conserve fuel when driving on 
the highway.
Be sure to check both the engine coolant 
level and the engine oil before driving.
Drive belt
A loose or damaged drive belt may 
overheat the engine.