1993 BUICK SKYLARK ABS

I A CAUTION.:
“Riding” your brakes can cause them to overhe;
to the point that they won’t work well. You mighl
not be able to stop your vehicle
in time to avoid
an accident. If you “ride” your brakes, they will
get
so hot they will require a lot of pedal fol- -
slow you. down. Avoid “riding” the brakes.
If you keep pace with the traffic and IW realistic
following distances, you will eliminate a lot
of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking and
longer brake life.
If your I- -dine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes.
If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down.
If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist
is used up, it may take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your Buick has an advanced electronic braking system
that will help prevent skidding.
This light on the instrument panel will go on when you
start your vehicle.
TI-
LOCK
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When you start your vehicle and begin to drive away,
you may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise. And you may even notice that your brake pedal moves a little
while this is going on. This
is the ABS system testing
itself.
If you have your foot on the brake pedal, this
check won’t happen until the vehicle goes about 4.mph
(6 km/h) or until you take your foot off the brake pedal.
After an ABS stop, you may hear a clicking noise the
next time the vehicle goes about
4 mph (6 km/h).
If there’s a problem with the anti-lock brake system, the
anti-lock brake system warning light will stay on or
flash.
See “Anti-lock Brake System Warning Light” in the
Index.
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet.
You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here’s what happens with
ABS.
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~

vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues --
such as enough water, ice or packed snow on the road to
make a “mirrored surface”
-- and slow down when you
have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock braking system (ABS) helps avoid only the braking skid. Steer the way you want to
go.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired
--
by alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by
fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
0
0 0
0
0 Drive defensively. Remember, this is the most
dangerous time. Don’t drink and drive. (See “Drunken Driving” in
the Index for more
on this problem.)
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlights behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between you and other vehicles. It’s hard to tell how fast the vehicle ahead
is going just by looking at its taillights.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your
headlights can light up only’s0 much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull
off the road in a safe place and
rest.

But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
, how to do it:
1 1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into.“P”
I (Park) yet.
I 2. Have someone place chocks under.the trailer wheels.
1
I
I I
I 3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to
“F’” (Park).
5. Release the regular brakes.
,. I I
~ When You Are Ready to Leave After
I Parking on a Hill
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system, and brake adjustment.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before
you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are
tight.
I 1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
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