1993 CHEVROLET ASTRO PASSENGER brake

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
I
CAUTION 1
A
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with the ignition off is dangerous.
Your brakes
will have to do all the work of slowing down. They could
get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You could crash. Always
have vour ignition on and vour vehicle in aear when you go downhill.
--
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears help cool your engine and transmission, and you can
climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or
mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut across the center of the\
road. Drive
at speeds that let you stay in your own lane. That way, you won’t be
surprised by a vehicle coming toward you in the same lane.
It takes longer to pass another vehicle when you’re going uphill. You’ll
want to leave extra room to pass.
If a vehicle is passing you and
doesn’t have enough room, slow down to make it easier for the other
vehicle to get by.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be something in
your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special problems.
Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a fallin\
g rocks
area, or winding roads. Be alert
to these and take appropriate action.
Winter driving can present special problems. See “Winter Driv\
ing” ,,in the
Index.
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AM470027
Hills and mountains mean spectacular scenery. But please be careful where
you stop
if you decide to look at the view or take pictures. Look for pull-offs
or parking areas provided for scenic viewing.
Another part of this manual tells
how to use your parking brake (see “Parking
Brake” in the Index.)
But on a mountain or steep hill, you can do one more
thing. You can turn your front wheels to keep your vehicle from rolling
downhill or out into traffic.
Here’s how:
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ~~~~ If you’re going uphill on a one-way street and you’re parking on the
left side,
your wheels should point to the right.
AM470055
If there is no curb when you’re parking uphill, turn the wheel\
s to the right.
If there is no curb when you’re parking uphill on the left si\
de of a one-way
street, your wheels should be turned
to the left.
Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your transmission into P
(Park) properly, the weight of the vehicle may put too much force on the
parking pawl in the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the shift lever
out of
P (Park). This is called torque lock. To prevent torque lock, always be
sure to shift into
P (Park) properly before you leave the driver’s seat. To find
out how, see “Shifting Into P (Park) in the Index.”
When you are ready
to drive, move the shift lever out of P (Park) BEFORE
you release the parking brake.
If “torque lock” does occur, you may need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of the pressure from the transmission,
so
you can pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
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AN48001 9
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold \
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice can be even more trouble \
because it may
offer the least traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s about freezing
(32°F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice
until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition-smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow-drive
with caution. Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile \
traction.
If you
accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the\
surface under
the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make a hard stop on \
a slippery
road. Even though you have the anti-lock braking system, you’\
ll want to begin
stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See “Anti-lo\
ck” in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until you hi\
t a spot
that’s covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice pa\
tches may
appear in shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surface\

of a
curve or an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding roads\
are
clear.
If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are o\
n
it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that yo\
u get and it keeps
the battery charged. You
will need a well-charged battery to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your headligh\
ts. Let the heater run for awhile.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost all the way to
preserve the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only\
when you feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But
do it as little as possible. Preserve
the fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you ca
vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half
comes.
If You’re Stuck in Deep Snow
This manual explains how to get the vehicle out of deep
damaging it. See “Rocking Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Towing a mailer
In get out of the
hour or
so until
snow without help
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive properly you \
can
lose control when you pull a trailer.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy the brakes may not work well-or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously injured. Pull a trailer only
if you have
followed all the steps in this section.
I
NOTICE
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your vehicle and result\
in costly
advice in this section.
pairs not covered
our
\a/arran+y. To pull a r correct‘ fnllow the
Every vehicle is reaay ior some trailer towing.
If it was built with trailering
options, as many are, it’s ready for heavier trailers. But \
trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means chan\
ges in handling,
durability, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In
it are many time-tested, important
trailering tips and safety rules. Many
of these are important for your safety
and that of your passengers.
So please read this section carefully before you
pull a trailer.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks
going by, and rough roads are a few reasons why you’ll need the righ\
t hitch.
Here are some rules to follow:
a
a
a
If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will weigh more than 2,000
pounds (900 kg), be sure to use a properly mounted weight-distributing
hitch and sway control of the proper size. This equipment is very
important for proper vehicle loading and good handling when you\
’re
driving.
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your vehicle when you
install a trailer hitch?
If you do, then be sure to seal the holes later
when you remove the hitch.
If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your vehicle (see “Carbon
Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt and water can too.
Don’t let the steel in a hitch contact the aluminum on you\
r bumper.
If
you do, the two will corrode. You can use something like paint or plastic
tape to separate the steel and aluminum. The same steel to aluminum
problem can happen with fasteners too.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle and your trail\
er. Cross
the safety chains under the tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue will not
drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions about
safety chains may be provided by the hitch manufacturer
or by the trailer
manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for atta\
ching safety
chains. Always leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. And,
never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs
its own brakes-and
Be sure to read and more than
1,000 pounds (450 kg) loaded, then
it needs
they must be adequate.
follow the instructions for the trailer brakes to install,
adjust and maintain them properly.
Don’t tap into your vehicle’s brake system
if the trailer’s brake system will use
more than
0.02 cubic inch (0.3~~) of fluid from your vehicle’s master cylinder.
If it does, both braking systems won’t work well. You could even \
lose your
brakes.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Will the trailer brake parts take 3,000 psi (20 650 kPa) of pressure? If
not, the trailer brake system must not be used with your vehi\
cle.
if everything checks out this far, then make the brake fluid tap at the
port on the master cylinder that sends fluid to the rear brak\
es. But don’t use copper tubing for this.
If you do, it will bend and finally break off.
Use steel brake tubing.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you’ll want to get to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with
the feel of handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer. And
always keep in mind that the vehicle you are driving is now a good deal
longer and not nearly
so responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety \
chains, electrical
connector, lights, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has electric brakes,
start your vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the trail\
er brake controller
by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
If you have a rear-most window open and you pull a trailer with your
vehicle, carbon monoxide (CO) could come into your vehicle. You
can’t see or smell CO. It can cause unconsciousness or death (see
“Engine Exhaust” in the Index).
To maximize your safety when towing
a trailer:
Have your exhaust system inspected for leaks and make
Keep the rear-most windows closed.
If exhaust does come into your vehicle through a window in the
rear, or another opening, drive with your front, main heating \
or
cooling system
on and with the fan on any speed. This will
bring fresh, outside air into your vehicle.
Do not use MAX NC
because it only recirculates the air inside your vehicle. See
“Comfort Controls” in the Index.
necessary repairs before starting
on your trip.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure, and
that the lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you w\
ould when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoi\
d situations that require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re to\
wing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll need
to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer to the left, just move your hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right. Always back up slowly and\
, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than n\
ormal. Do this so
your trailer wheels won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road \
signs, trees, or
other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument \
panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,\
the trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes,
or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument pan\
el will flash for
turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think \
drivers behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. \
It’s important to
check occasionally
to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or
steep downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed to \
around
45 mph
(70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
You should use
D (or as you need to, a lower gear) when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in
D when towing a trailer will minimize heat buildup
and extend the life
of your transmission.
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