
2. To slow down in very small amounts, push the button for less than half
a second. Each time you do this, you'll
go about 1 mph (1.6 kmlh)
slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When you take your foot
off the pedal, your vehicle will slow down to the Cruise Control \
speed you set
earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your Cruise Control will work on hills depends upon your speed,
load, and the steepness of the hills. When going up steep hil\
ls, you may
have to step on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed. When going
downhill, you may have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep your speed
down. Of course, applying the brake takes you out of Cruise Control. Many
drivers find this to be
too much trouble and don't use Cruise Control on
steep hills.
To Get Out of Cruise Control
There are several ways to turn off the Cruise Control:
.Y ..
1. Step lightly on the brake pedal or push the clutch pedal, if you have a
manual transmission; OR
2. Move the Cruise switch to OFF.
When you turn off the Cruise Control or the ignition, your Cruise Control set
speed memory is erased.
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Features & Controls
The high beam headlights will come on at reduced brightness in\
Daylight
when:
The ignition is on
The headlight switch is off, and
The parking brake is released
When you turn on your headlights, the DRL will switch
off and the exterior
lights come on. When you turn
off the headlights, the exterior lights will go
out and the high beams
will change to the reduced brightness of DRL again.
The DRL indicator light on the instrument panel will go on wh\
enever the DRL are
on. This light means that only the DRL are on. When you turn on your
exterior lights, this light will go out.
Of course, you may still turn on the
headlights any time you need to.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL
off, set the parking brake. The DRL will
stay off until you release the parking brake.
Dome Lights
The dome lights will come on when you open the doors or tailgate. You can
also turn the dome lights on by turning the interior light dimmer dial on the
headlight switch all the way
up until it clicks.
K2360
You can use the dome lamp switch, located below the headlight swit\
ch, to set
the
dome lamps to come on automatically or remain off. To turn the lights off,
just press the side of the switch marked OFF. To return the lights to
automatic operation, press the side marked
AUTO.
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Brake System Warning Light
BRAKE
-
K2325
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into two parts. If one part
isn’t working, the other part can still work and stop you. For good braking,
though, you need both parts working well.
If the warning light goes on, there
could be
a brake problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on as you start the vehicle.
If it doesn’t come on
then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
This light will also come
on when you set your parking brake, and it will stay
on
if your parking brake doesn’t release fully. If it stays on after your parking
brake is fully released, it means you may have
a brake problem.
If the light comes on while driving, pull off the road and stop carefully. You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may
go closer to
the floor. It may take longer
to stop. If the light is still on, have the vehicle
towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.)
I CAUTION
I A Your brake system may not be working properly if the brake warning
b light is on. Driving with the brake warning light on can lead to an
I accident. If the light is still on after you’ve pulled off the road and
stopped carefully,
have the vehicle towed for service. I
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Featums & Contmls
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
I
PB005
With anti-lock, this light will go on when you start your eng\
ine and may stay
on for several seconds or
so. That’s normal.
If the light doesn’t come on, have it fixed so it will be ready to warn you if
there is a problem.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, your vehicle needs
service. Unless the regular brake system warning light is also on, you will still
have brakes,
but not anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, see “Brake System Warning
Light” earlier in this section.
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Pavement Markings
NO PASSING ZONE
AM40201 6
Pavement markings add to traffic signs and signals. They give information to
drivers without taking attention from the roadway. A solid yell\
ow line on your
side of the road or lane means “don’t cross.”
Your Own Signals
Drivers signal to others, too. It’s not only more polite, it’s safer, to let other
drivers know what you are doing. And in some places the law requires driver
signals.
Turn and lane change signals: Always signal when you plan to turn or
change lanes.
If necessary, you can use hand signals out the window: Left arm straight out
for
a left turn, down for slow or about-to-stop, and up for a right\
turn.
Slowing down: If time allows, tap the brake pedal once or twice in advance
of slowing or stopping. This warns the driver behind you.
Disabled: Your four-way flashers signal that your vehicle is disabled or \
is a
hazard. See “Hazard Warning Flasher” in the Index.
Traffic Officer
The traffic police officer is also a source of important information. The officer’s
signals govern, no matter what the traffic lights or other signs say. \
The next part discusses some of the road conditions you may e\
ncounter.
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Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive defens\
ively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your vehicle: Buckle up.
(See ‘Safety Belts”
in the Index.)
Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.” On\
city streets, rural
roads, or freeways,
it means “always expect the unexpected,”
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be careless and make
mistakes. Anticipate what they might
do. Be ready for their mistakes.
Expect children to dash out from behind parked cars, often followed
by other
children. Expect occupants in parked cars to open doors into traffic. Watch
for
movement in parked cars-someone may be about to open a door.
Expect other drivers to run stop signs when you are on a through street. Be
ready
to brake if necessary as you go through intersections. You may not
have to use the brake, but
if you do, you will be ready.
If you’re driving through a shopping center parking lot where there are
well-marked lanes, directional arrows, and designated parking are\
as, expect some drivers to ignore all these markings and dash straight toward one part
of the lot.
Pedestrians can be careless. Watch for them. In general, you must give way
to pedestrians even
if you know you have the right of way.
Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable
of accidents. Yet they are
common. Allow enough following distance. It’s the best defens\
ive driving
maneuver, in both city and rural driving. You never know when the vehicle
in
front of you is going to brake or turn suddenly.
Here’s a final bit of information about defensive driving. The most dangerous
time for driving in the
US. is very early on Sunday morning. In fact, GM
Research studies show that the most and the least dangerous times for
driving, every week, fall on the same day. That day is Sunday. The most
dangerous time is Sunday
3 a,m. to 4 a.m. The safest time is Sunday from
10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Driving the same distance on a Sunday at 3 a.m. isn’t
just
a little more dangerous than it is at 10 a.m. It’s about 134 times more
dangerous.
That leads to the next part.
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Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where you want it to go.
They are the brakes, the steering and the accelerator. All three systems have
to
do their work at the places where the tires meet the road.
I
AM409006
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s easy to ask more of
those control systems than the tires and road can provide. Tha\
t means you
can lose control of your vehicle.
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 thre\
e seconds
or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordinati\
on, and
eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs and frustration. But even in 314
of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 kmlh) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so keeping enough space
between your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly with the surface of the
road (whether it’s pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry,
icy); tire tread; and the condition of your brakes.
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Your Driving and the Road
Most drivers treat their brakes with care. Some, however, overw\
ork the
braking system with poor driving habits.
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.
AM410001
“Riding” your brakes can cause them to overheat to the p\
oint that
h 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.
‘Riding” the brakes wears them
out much faster. You would need costly
wake replacement much sooner than normal, and it also reduces fuel
mnomy.
NOTICE
If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following d\
istances, you
will eliminate a
lot of unnecessary braking. That means better braking and
longer brake life.
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