1993 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Owners Manual

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ou can steer around the obstacle while
raking hard.
As you brake, your
lmputer keeps receiving updates
on
thee1 speed and controls braking
ressure accordingly.
A Anti-lock doesn’t change the
L time you need to get your ht
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 suddenly
slows or stops. Always leave enough
morn up ahead to stop, even though ’
YOU have anti-l~~k brakes.
To Use Anti-Lock:
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the
brake pedal down and let anti-lock work for
you. You may hear a clicking noise
as you accelerate after a hard stop.
Disc Brake Wear indicators
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 pedal firmly).
The brake wear warning
4 L 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.
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Your Driving and the Road
Disc Brake Wear lndicators
(CONT)
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could sult in costly
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.
I36
Rear Drum Brakes
Your rear drum brakes 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.
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.

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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
1,OOO
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.
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.
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Your Driving and the Road
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
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 youT speed.
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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 lhat
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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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.
Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right
wheels have dropped off
the edge of a
road onto the shoulder while you’re
driving.
If
the level of the shoulder is only
slightly below the pavement, recovery
should be fairly easy. Ease
off the
accelerator and then,
if there is nothing
in the way, steer so that your vehicle
straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can turn the steering wheel
up to ?4 turn
until the right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. Then turn your steering
wheel to go straight down the roadway.
If the shoulder appears
to be about four
inches
(100 mm) or more below the
pavement, this difference can cause
problems. If there is
not enough room to
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Off-Road Recovev (CONT.)
pull entirely onto the shoulder and stop,
then follow the same procedures. But if
the right front tire scrubs against the
side
of the pavement, do not steer more
sharply. With too much steering angle,
the vehicle may jump back onto the road
with
so much steering input that it
crosses over into the oncoming traffic
before
you can bring it back under
control. Instead, ease off again on the
accelerator and steering input, straddle
the pavement
once more, then try again.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass
another on a two-lane highway waits for
just the right moment, accelerates,
moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again.
A
simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle
on a two-lane highway is a potentially
dangerous move, since
the passing
vehicle occupies the same lane as
oncoming traffic for several seconds.
A
miscalculation, an error in judgment, or
a brief surrender to frustration or anger
can suddenly put the passing driver face
to face with the worst of all traffic
accidents-the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road,
to the sides, and to crossroads for
situations that might affect your
passing patterns. If you have any doubt
whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait for
a better time.
markings, and lines. If you can see a
sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your
pass.
A broken center line usually
indicates it’s all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear).
Never cross
a solid line on your side
of the lane or a double solid line, even
if
the road seems empty of approaching
traffic.
Watch for traffic signs, pavement

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you suspect that the driver of the
vehicle
you want to pass isn’t aware of
your presence, tap the horn a couple
of times before passing.
Do not get too close to the vehicle you
want
to pass while you’re awaiting an
opportunity. For one thing, following
too closely reduces your area
of
vision, especially if you’re following a
larger vehicle. Also, you won’t have
adequate space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is
coming up, start to accelerate but stay
in the right lane and don’t get too
close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing
speed as the time comes to
move into the other lane.
If the way is
clear to pass, you will have a “running
start” that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping
back. And
if something happens to
cause you
to cance1,your pass, you
need only slow down and drop back
again and wait for another opportunity.
slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take
care that someone isn’t trying
to pass
you as you pull out to pass the slow
vehicle. Remember to glance over
your shoulder and check the blind
spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your
shoulder, and
start your left lane
change signal before moving out of the
right lane to pass. When you are far
enough ahead of the passed vehicle to
see its front in your inside mirror,
activate your right lane change signal
If other cars are lined up to pass a and
move back into the right lane.
(Remember that your right outside
mirror is convex. The vehicle you just
passed may
seem to be further away
from you than it really
is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle
at a time on two-lane roads.
Reconsider before passing the next
vehicle.
vehicle too rapidly. Even though the
brake lights are not flashing, it may be
slowing down or starting to
turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy
for the following driver to get ahead of
you. Perhaps you can ease a
little to
the right.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say
about what happens when the three
control systems (brakes,‘ steering and
acceleration) don’t have enough friction
where the tires meet
the road to do what
the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep
trying
to steer and constantly seek an
escape route or area of less danger.
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Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of
the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids
by taking reasonable care
suited
to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions.
But
skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond
to
your Chevrolet’s three control systems.
In the braking skid your wheels aren’t
rolling. In the steering
or cornering
skid, too much speed or steering
in a
curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And
in the acceleration
skid too much throttle causes the driving
wheels
to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration
skid are best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal. If your
vehicle starts
to slide (as when you turn
a corner on a wet, snow- or ice-covered
road), ease your foot off the accelerator
pedal as soon
as you feel the vehicle
start to slide. Quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to
go. If you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle
will straighten out. As
it does, straighten
the front wheels.
Of course, traction is reduced when
water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material is
on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to
slow down and adjust your
driving to these conditions. It is
important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance
will
be longer and vehicle control more
limited.