1993 CHEVROLET CAMARO Owners Manual

Braking
Braking action involves perception time
and reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the
brake pedal. That’s
perception time.
Then you have to bring up your foot and
do
it. That’s reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a
second. But that’s only an average.
It
might be less with one driver and as long
as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition,
alertness, coordination, and eyesight all
play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration.
But even in 3/4 of a second, a
vehicle moving at
60 mph ( 100 km/h)
travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot
of distance in an emergency, so keeping :nough
space between your vehicle and
Dthers is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances
vary greatly
with the surface of the road
:whether it’s pavement or gravel); the
;ondition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; and the condition
of your brakes.
Most drivers treat their brakes with care,
Some, however, overwork the braking system
with poor driving habits.
B Avoid needless heavy braking. Some
people drive
in spurts - heavy
acceleration followed by heavy
braking
- rather than keeping pace
with traffic. This is a mistake. Your
brakes may not have time
to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will
wear out much faster
if you do a lot of
heavy braking.
Don’t “ride” the brakes by letting your
left foot rest lightly on the brake pedal
while driving.
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Your Driving and the Road
I
CAUTION: - A 66. nlulllg YVUl UlaKGS Cdn Cause
them to overheat to the point
that they won’t work well. You
might
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 force to slow you down.
Avoid “riding” the brakes. Klamg-.
me DraaKes wears
tnern 01
lnuch faster. You would need costly
brake replacement much sooner
than normal, and
it also reduces fuel
economy.
If you keep pace
with the traffic and
allow realistic following distances, you
will eliminate a lot of unnecessary
braking. That means better braking and
longer brake life.
I
If your engine 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.
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Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your Chevrolet has an advanced
electronic
braking system that will help
prevent skidding.
I
This light on the instrument panel will go
on when you start your vehicle.
When you start your vehicle,
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
3 mph (5 km/h) or
until you take your foot off the brake
pedal. If
there's
a problem with the anti-lock
brake system. the
ABS INOP warning
light will stay on
or flash.
See "Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning
Light" in the Index.
143.m-
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Your Driving and the Road
I
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.
A computer senses that wheels are
slowing down. The computer separately
works the brakes at each front wheel and
at the rear wheels.
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.
1
You can steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As you brake, your conlputer keeps
receiving updates
on wheel speed and
controls braking pressure accordingly.
I CAUTION;
A
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,
1 you won't have time to apply your
brakes
if that vehicle suddenly
slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead
to stop, even
though
you have anti-lock brakes.
I'o Use Anti-Lock:
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the
brake pedal down and
let anti-lock work
for you. When the
ABS is active, the
LOW TRAC light comes on to indicate
low traction conditions. Adjust your
driving accordingly. The light will
stay on for about four seconds after
the
ABS stops being active.
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Disc Brake Wear Indicators
Unless you have the four-wheel disc
brake option, your Chevrolet has front
disc brakes and rear drum 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 peda
firmly). 1 The brake wear warning sound
- means that sooner or later your
brakes won’t work well. That could
lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have
your vehicle serviced.
I
I
.1 LullllllullIg 1u UIIVt: Wllll WUIII-UU
brake pads could result in rnctl\~
brake repair. Some driving conditions
or climates may
cause a brake squeal when the brakes are
first applied or lightly applied. This does
not mean something
is wrong with your
brakes.
Rear Drum Brakes
If you have rear drum brakes, they don’t
have wear indicators,
but if you ever hear
a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
brake linings inspected.
Also, the rear
brake drums should be removed and
inspected each time the tires are removed
for rotation or changing. When you have
the front brakes replaced, have the rear
brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced
as complete axle sets.
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Your Driving and the Road
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does
not return to normal height, or if there is a
rapid increase
in pedal travel. This could
be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a moderate brake
stop, your disc brakes adjust for wear. If
you rarely make a moderate or heavier
stop, then your brakes might not adjust
correctly. If you drive in that way, then
-
very carefully - make a few moderate
brake stops about every
1000 miles
(1 600 km), so your brakes will adjust
properly. If
your brake pedal goes down farther
than normal, your rear drum brakes may
need adjustment. Adjust them by backing up and firmly applying the brakes a few
times.
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when
you need to. With anti-lock, you can steer
and brake at the same time. 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
reasonable 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
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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 accelerate.
Those two control systems
- steering
and acceleration
- can overwhelm those
places where the tires meet the road and
make you lose control.
What should you do
if this ever happens?
Let up on the accelerator pedal, steer the
vehicle the way you want
it to go, and
slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn
that
you should adjust your speed. Of course,
the posted speeds are based on good
weather and road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you’ll want to
go
slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you
approach
a curve, do it before you enter
the curve, while your front wheels are
straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can
“drive” through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate
until you are out of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into the
straightaway.
When you drive into a curve at night, it’s
harder
to see the road ahead of you
because
it bends away from the straight
beams
of your lights. This is one good
reason to drive slower.
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Your Driving and the Road
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be
more effective than braking. For example,
you come over a
hill and find a truck
stopped
in your lane, or a car suddenly
pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts
out from between parked cars and stops
right
in front of you. You can avoid these
problems by braking
- if you can stop in
time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t
room. That’s the time for evasive action
- steering around the problem. Your
Chevrolet can perform very well
in
emergencies like these. First apply your
brakes. It is better
to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem,
to the left or right depending on the space
available.
An emergency like this requires close
attention and a quick decision. If you are
holding the steering wheel at the
recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions,
you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very
quickly without removing either hand.
But you have to act fast, steer quickly,
and just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have avoided the object.
You
must then be prepared to steer back to
your original lane and then brake to a
controlled stop.
Depending on your speed, this can be
rather violent for an unprepared driver.
This is one of the reasons driving experts
recommend that you use your safety belts
and keep both hands on the steering
wheel.
The fact that such emergency situations
are always possible is a good reason
to
practice defensive driving at all times.
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