Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems ABS OPERATORS MANUAL ESP 4/11 - Manual (Page 9)

9
Important Safety Information About
The Bendix ® ESP ® Stability System
The ESP System May Reduce Your Speed Automatically
The Bendix ESP system can make your vehicle decelerate automatically.
The ESP system can slow the vehicle with or without you applying the
brake
, and even when you are applying the throttle.
To minimize unexpected deceleration and reduce the risk of a collision:
• Avoid aggressive driving maneuvers, such as sharp turns or abrupt lane
changes at high speeds, which might trigger the stability system.
• Always operate your vehicle safely, drive defensively, anticipate obstacles
and pay attention to road, weather and traffic conditions. ABS, ATC and
ESP stability systems are no substitute for prudent, careful driving.
Limitations Of The Stability System
Your ESP stability system’s effectiveness may be greatly reduced if:
• Your load shifts due to improper retention, accident damage or the inherently
mobile nature of some loads (for example, hanging meat, live animals or
partially laden tankers),
• Your vehicle or load has an unusually high or off-set center of gravity (CG),
• Your brakes are not properly adjusted or maintained,
• One side of your vehicle drops off the pavement at an angle that is too
great to be counteracted by a reduction in speed.
To Maximize The Effectiveness Of Bendix ® ESP ® Stability System:
• Make sure that the weight of your load is evenly distributed, front to back
and side to side, and is properly secured at all times.
• Exercise extreme caution at all times while driving, and avoid sharp turns,
sudden steering inputs or abrupt lane changes at high speeds, particularly if:
›
you haul loads that could shift,
›
your vehicle or load has a high or off-set center of gravity
(CG) when loaded, or
›
you are towing doubles or triples.
Chassis Modifications
The ESP system was specifically calibrated and validated only for your
vehicle’s original configuration. If your vehicle’s chassis components are
altered (for example, a wheel base extension or reduction, tag axle addition or
removal, a major body change such as conversion of a tractor into a truck, or an
axle, suspension, or steering system component modification) the Bendix ESP
stability system must be disabled at the same time by a qualified mechanic.
WARNING! If a modified vehicle does not have the ESP system disabled,
serious vehicle braking and performance issues could result, which
could result in a loss of control of your vehicle.