Many Maruti Suzuki Jimny 4X4 AT sub-4 meter SUV owners face brake failure at high altitude

Group of Jimny Automatic owners who went on trip to Umlingla face braking issues

Recently, on TeamBHP’s online forum, a number of Maruti Jimny 4X4 AT owners have reported brake failures while navigating steep slopes at elevated altitudes. The post about the issue was created by a member who goes by the username purohitanuj.

He started by mentioning that recently he, along with 9 other owners of the Maruti Suzuki Jimny ATs, embarked on a challenging expedition to Umlingla, one of the highest motorable passes in the world. Their SimplyJimny group consisting of 10 Jimnys, and their journey took an unexpected turn when he made a startling discovery in Jispa.

“During my stop in Jispa, I attempted to move my Jimny (Alpha AT) the next morning, but was met with a startling discovery: Zero braking! The brake pedal felt rock solid and wouldn’t budge. After checking the brake fluid (which was at proper levels), I grew concerned. I asked Manik to give it a try, and he too was taken aback by the brakes, remarking, ‘It feels like trying to tow a dead car,’” the Jimny owner described the problem.

The owner found the brake pedal unresponsive and rock-solid (the pedal does not go down when you depress it). Even after confirming that the brake fluid levels were adequate, the vehicle’s brake did not function. To further verify the issue, another Jimny owner attempted to engage the brakes, and both were taken aback by the unyielding pedal. The other Jimny owner described the situation as feeling “like trying to tow a dead car.”

What the Jimny Owner’s Manual Says

Following this, in an attempt to desperately regain control, the first driver resorted to revving the engine in neutral, which, to their relief, resulted in some braking action. However, this was a temporary fix as the brake booster struggled to provide adequate boost at idling or lower RPMs, especially in ‘D’ mode when descending slopes.

In the post describing this issue, it was reported that the brake failure wasn’t an isolated incident for the original post writer. As the journey continued, the same issue plagued all the Jimnys in the group over the next couple of days.

As per the post from the drivers, all of the owners of Maruti Suzuki Jimny ATs were compelled to drive in either ‘L’ or ‘2’ modes to maintain higher engine revs, thereby avoiding the danger posed by the brake failure. Fortunately, when returning to lower altitudes, the problem disappeared, suggesting that the issue was altitude-dependent and not as severe in manual transmission variants.

This aspect is also mentioned in the Jimny Owner’s Manual, which says that on long down-hill slopes, Jimny AT drivers should do exactly this – drive on L or 2 modes. However, that is for long slopes and not high-altitude roads.

Video proof of this issue

In the same post, the primary owner who started the thread also shared a small video showcasing this problem. From the video, it was noted that he was approaching a blind turn on a narrow mountain road, where suddenly he spotted two fuel tanker trucks arriving from the opposite direction. In the video, he then mentions that he applied the brakes very long ago, but the Jimny stopped very near to the edge of the road.

Another high altitude issue – 4×4 hub struggling to engage

In addition to brake failure, the driver and other Jimny owners reported that there was another unforeseen challenge that surfaced at higher altitudes with their Jimnys. It was reported that the 4×4 hubs in the Maruti Jimny 4X4 AT struggled to engage, with the 4×4 indicator continuously blinking. To address this issue, some drivers resorted to manual intervention, shifting the car into neutral in 2H and revving the engine to engage 4H successfully.

Taking note of the above-mentioned incidents especially during high-altitude adventures, a number of users shared their suggestions and support. For now, the solution seems to be to use 2 or L modes when at high altitudes such as UmlingLa. We will keep you posted on any updates on this issue.

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