1993 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Owners Manual

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Corvette ASR System (CONT.)
The ASR system comes on when the
ignition is -turned
on and operates at all
speeds. When your ASR system is
operating, the
ASR ACTIVE indicator
on the Driver Information Center
(DIC)
will come on. It indicates the system
has detected excess wheel slip, like the
conditions found on slippery-roads.
Also, when ASR is active, the cruise
control
will be automaticaIly turned off
The SERVICE ASR warning light lets
you know
when there is a problem with
your ASR system. When this light is on,
you have no-automatic wheel spin
protection. Adjust your driving
accordingly, See the
Index under
Service ASR Light..
Turning the ASR System Off
To limit wheel spin, especially in
slippery road conditions, you should
always leave your ASR. system on. But
you can turn the ASR system off if you
ever need to. ASR OFF means the
controller is passive, but still
monitoring wheel
speed informauon.

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To turn the system off, press the button
located above the headlight switch. The
ASR OFFlight will come on and stay
on. If you are driving and push the ASR
OFF button, the ASR system will not
be turned off until the rear wheels
stabilize with the front wheels.
Any
time the ASR system is off, it can be
switched.
on again. The ASR OFF light
should
go off. The ASR system
automatically comes
on whenever you
start your vehicle.
NOTE: When ASR is active the cruise
CQntrOl will go off.
Disc Brake Wear lndicators
Your Corvette has four-wheel disc
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
aIl the time your vehicle is moving
(except when you
are pushing on the
brake pedal firmly). 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.
Brake linings should always be replaced
as complete axle sets.

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Your Driving and the Road
Brake Pedal Travel Brake Adjustment
See your dealer if the brake pedal does
not return to normal height, Qr if there
AS you make brake stops, your disc
couid be a sign of brake trouble
is
a rapid- increase in pedal travel. This
brakes automatically adjust .for wear. , .. .
178
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.emagencies, steering can help
you more than even the very best
braking;.

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Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist
because the engine stops
or the system
fails to function, you c-an steer but it
will take much more effort.
i.
steering Tips-Dtiving on Curves
It's important to tale 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 tixes 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
yuu"ve mer tried to steer a vehicle on
wet ice> you:U understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve
depends on the condition of your tizies
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
a.xve. Then you suddenly acwlerate. If
excess wheel spin is detected, ASR will
reduce erigine torque to the wheels. Lf
your ASR system is off, those two
control systems-steering and
acceleration-can ovGrwhelm those
i places where-the tires meet the road and
~ make you lose control.
1 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.

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Your Driving and the Road
’I
Steering Tips-Driving on Curves
(CONT.)
Speed limit signs near curves warm 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 hont wheels are
straight ahead.
Try
to adjust your speed so you can
Wive” 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.
I80
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
€ram 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 Corvette
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
9
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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Ofl-Road .Recovery
You may hd sometime that your right
wheels bave dropped 08 the edge of-a
road mtwthe &odder while you’re
driving.
ff- 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%Wde
straddles the edge of. the pavement. You
can turn the steering wheel up to ‘h
turn until theight. front tire contacts
the pavement
edge. Then turn your
stetking wheel to go straight dm the
rcradway.
If the- shoulder appears to be about four
inches (100 mm) or more below the
pavement,. this difference.cm cause
problems. If there is not boough room
to pull entirely onto the shoulder and
stgp, then fdbw the same procedures.
But if the riglit €rant tire scrubs against
the side. af the pavement, do not skstr
more.sharplyy. With too much steering-
angle, the vehicle may jump back o~to
the road with so much steering input
that it-cmsses over into the oncoming
tr&c ,before you can bring it back
under control.. ;Instead, ease off again an
the? accelerator and steeping input,
straddle
the pavement once more, then
try again.

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PaSShg (COW.)
Watch for traffic signs, pavement
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.
* 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 tQo closely reduces
your area
of vision, especi-ally if you’re
following
a larger vehicle. Also, you
won’t have adequate space if the
vehicle
,ahead suddenly slows dr
stops. Keep back a- reasonable
distance.
I 82
When it 1cr.oks like a chance to:pass is
.doming 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.3 the. way is
clear to pass, you will have a “running
start’” that
more than makes up fix
the distance you would lose by
dropping back. And
if something
happens to Cause you to cancel your
pass, you need only slow down and
drop back again and wait for another
opportunity.
If other vehicles .are lined up to pass a
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 andxheck the blind
spot.
Check your mirr-ors, glance over your
shoulder, aad start your left lane
change-,signal before
,moving aut 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
and move back into the right
lane; (Remember that-your right
0-utside mirror is-convex. The vehicle
you just passed ‘may seem to be
farther away+from you than it redly
is.)
Try n0t.t.o 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 dawn 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 .m,oving

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Loss. of Control
Let’s review what- driving experts say
about what ha-ppens when the three
cuntrd systems
(brakes, steering and
acceleration) dodt have enough hictior
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 r.oute.oy area of less danger.