1993 CHEVROLET CAVALIER steering

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
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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I
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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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
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 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine While driving on a surface with reduced
traction,
try your best to avoid sudden
steering, acceleration, or braking
(including engine braking by shifting
to
a lower gear). Any sudden changes
could cause the tires
to slide. You may
not realize
the surface is slippery until
your 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.
Drive defensively. Remember, this is
the most dangerous time.
Don’t drink and drive. (See the index
under Drunken Driving 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.
speed roads. Your headlights can light
up only
so much road ahead.
Slow down, especially on higher
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a
safe place and rest.
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Your Driving and the Road
Driving on Snow or /ce
Most of the time, those places where
your tires meet the road probably have
good traction.
However,
if there is snow or ice
between your tires and the road, you can
have a very slippery situation. You’ll
have a lot less traction or “grip” and
will need to be very careful.
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; OOC) and freezing rain begins to
fall. Try to avoid driving on
wet ice
until salt and sand crews can get there.
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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 inlprove 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 the
Index under
Anti-Lock Bruke System.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road.
9 Watch for slippery spots. The road
might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s
covered with
ice. On an otherwise
clear road, ice patches 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 on it. Try not to brake
while you’re actually on the ice, and
avoid sudden steering maneuvers.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Problems on the Road
bwing Your Chevrolet (CONI)
To help avoid injury to you or
lers:
a Never let passengers ride in a
vehicle that is being towed.
a Never tow faster than safe or
posted speeds.
* Never tow with damaged parts
not fully secured.
* Never get under your vehicle after
it
has been lifted by the tow truck.
* Always use separate safety
chains on each side when towing
a vehicle.
Never use
“J” hooks. Use T-
hooks instead.
the ignition key off. The steering wheel
should be clamped
in a straight-ahead
position,
with a clamping device designed
for towing service. Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column lock for this.
The transaxle should be
in Neutral, and
the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the
front wheels, unless
you must. If the
vehicle must be towed on the front wheels,
don’t go more than
35 mph (56 km/h) or
farther than
50 miles (80 km) or your
transaxle will be damaged. If these
limits must be exceeded, then
the front
wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
p-AU I IUN I
A vehicle can fall from a car
carrier if it isn’t properly
secured. This can cause a
collision, serious personal injury
and vehicle damage. The vehicle
should be tightly secured with
chains or steel cables before it is
transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes,
leather straps, canvas webbing,
etc.) that can be cut
by sharp edges
underneath
the towed vehicle.
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