The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most
of available tire and road
conditions.
... ..
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
/A CAUTION:
Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need to
get your foot
up to the brake pedal. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you, you won't
have time to apply your
brakes if that vehicle
cvddenly
slows or stops. Always leave enough
luom up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti-lock brakes.
To Use Anti-Lock:
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
and
let anti-lock work for you. You also may hear a
clicking noise as
you accelerate after a hard stop.
Disc Brake Wear Indicators
Your Buick has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when
the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed.
The sound may come
and
go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving
(except when you are pushing on the brake pedal
firmly).
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That could be off the road, into the very thing you were
trying to avoid,
or into traffic.
If you don’t have anti-lock, use
a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give
you maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. You do this by pushing on
the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure.
In an emergency
you will probably want to “squeeze”
the brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear
or feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal. This
will help you retain steering control.
(If
you & have anti-lock, it’s different: see Index under
“Anti-lock Brake System.”) In
many emergencies,
steering can help
you more than even the very best
braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system fails to function, you can steer but
it
will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a r8 easonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen
on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn
the front wheels. If there’s
no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you’ve ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice,
you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While
you’re in a curve, speed
is the one factor you can
control.
Suppose you’re steering through
a sharp curve. Then
you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control systems --
steering and braking -- have to do their work where the
tires meet the road. Unless you have four-wheel
anti-lock brakes, adding the hard braking can demand
too much
of those places. You can lose control.
The same thing can happen if you’re steering through a
sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate.
Those two control systems
-- steering and acceleration --
can overwhelm those places where the tires meet the
road and make you lose control.
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