Test the brakes on a dry, clean, reasonably smooth and level roadway. A true test of the brake performance cannot be made if the roadway is wet, greasy or covered with loose dirt. The tires will not grip the road equally under these conditions.

The testing will also be affected if the roadway is crowned. A crowned roadway will throw the weight of the vehicle toward the wheels on 1 side. If the roadway is too rough, the wheels tend to bounce.

Test the brakes at different vehicle speeds with both light and heavy brake pedal pressure. More tire-to-road friction is present with a heavily braked turning tire than with a sliding tire.

The brake system is designed and balanced in order to achieve the shortest stopping distance and best control without brake lock-up. Because of high deceleration capability, a firmer brake pedal may be felt at higher deceleration levels.