Driving on snowy and icy roads
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control on slippery roads such as snowy or icy roads. This may cause loss of vehicle control.
CAUTION
Avoid prolonged continuous driving in snowstorms. Snow will enter the engine’s intake system and may hinder the airflow, which could result in engine shutdown or even breakdown.
To prevent skidding and slipping, avoid sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, highspeed driving, and sharp turning when driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the engine brake effectively to control the vehicle speed. (Shift into a lower gear when necessary.) Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behavior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) enhances your vehicle’s braking performance on snowy and icy roads. For information about braking on slippery surfaces, refer to “ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)” and “Vehicle Dynamics Control system”.
▲ Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure
the wiper blades are not frozen to the
windshield or rear window. If the wiper
blades are frozen to the windshield or rear
window, use the defroster with the airflow
control button in the
position and the
temperature control dial set for maximum
warmth until the wiper blades are completely
thawed out. The wiper deicer is
helpful to thaw the windshield wiper
blades. To thaw out the rear wiper blade,
use the rear window defogger.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow starts
to stick on the surface of the windshield
despite wiper operation, use the defroster
with the airflow control button in
and
the temperature control dial set for maximum
warmth. After the windshield gets
warmed enough to melt the frozen snow
on it, wash it away using the windshield
washer.
Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the wiper from working effectively. If snow is stuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road to a safe place, then remove it. If you stop the vehicle at road side, use the hazard warning flasher to alert other drivers.
We recommend use of non-freezing type wiper blades (winter blades) during the seasons in which you could have snow and freezing temperatures. Blades of this type give superior wiping performance in snowy conditions. Be sure to use blades that are suitable for your vehicle.
CAUTION
During high-speed driving, nonfreezing type wiper blades may not perform as well as standard wiper blades. If this happens, reduce the vehicle speed.
NOTE
When the season requiring non-freezing type wiper blades is over, replace them with standard wiper blades.