The purpose of the exhaust brake (engine braking) feature is to supply negative (braking) torque from the engine. Typically, the engine braking is used for, but not limited to, vehicle towing applications where vehicle braking can be achieved by the internal engine power, thereby sparing the mechanical brakes of the vehicle.
Benefits of the exhaust brake are:
-
Vehicle driving control.
-
Reduced brake fade.
-
Longer brake life.
-
Faster cab warm-up.
The exhaust brake feature will only function when the driver toggles it on by pushing the exhaust brake button until the Exhaust Brake Indicator is illuminated. Normal (Full Strength) exhaust brake mode is indicated by a yellow Exhaust Brake Indicator.
Exhaust Brake Switch
Once the Exhaust Brake Indicator is illuminated and the vehicle is moving faster than 5 mph (8 km/h); the exhaust brake will automatically operate when the driver removes pressure from the accelerator pedal. Exhaust braking is most effective when the engine RPM is higher. The automatic transmission will downshift more aggressively in TOW/HAUL mode when the exhaust brake is enabled to increase brake performance.
Do not use the exhaust brake feature when driving in icy or slippery conditions as the increased engine braking can cause the rear wheels to slide and the vehicle to swing around with the possible loss of vehicle control, which may cause an accident possibly resulting in personal injury or death.
Use of aftermarket exhaust brakes is not recommended and could lead to engine damage.
For optimum braking power it is recommended to use the exhaust brake while in TOW/HAUL mode.
The exhaust brake feature can also be used to reduce the engine warm-up time. To use the exhaust brake as a warm-up device, the vehicle must be stopped or moving less than 5 mph (8 km/h), the Exhaust Brake Indicator must be on, and the coolant temperature must be below 180°F (82°C) and ambient temperature below 60°F (16°C).
Automatic “Smart” Exhaust Brake
Automatic “Smart” Exhaust Brake technology delivers smoother, less aggressive exhaust braking characteristics during downhill descents. Although it can apply full exhaust braking force if needed, Automatic “Smart” Exhaust Brake may not apply obvious braking if the vehicle speed is not increasing. Automatic “Smart” Exhaust Brake is intended to maintain vehicle speed, while Full Exhaust Brake is intended to reduce vehicle speed.
Automatic “Smart” Exhaust Brake can be enabled by pushing the exhaust brake button (on the center stack) again anytime after the normal Full Exhaust Brake has been turned on. The Exhaust Brake Indicator in the instrument cluster display will change from Yellow to Green when Automatic “Smart” Exhaust Brake is enabled. Pushing the exhaust brake button again will toggle the exhaust brake mode to off.