1993 CHEVROLET TRACKER brake

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 defensive 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
U.S. 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 from
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 section.
Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is
a national
tragedy. It’s the number one contributor
to the highway death toll, claiming
thousands of victims every year.
Alcohol takes away three things that
anyone needs to drive a vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Police records show that half of all
motor vehicle-related deaths involve
alcohol
- a driver, a passenger or
someone else, such as a pedestrian, had
been drinking. In most cases, these
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Your Driving and the Road
- 9 126
There's something else about drinking
and driving that many people don't
know. Medical research shows that
alcohol in a person's system can make
crash injuries worse. That's especially
true for brain, spinal cord and heart
injuries. That means that if anyone who
has
been drinking - driver or passenger
- is in a crash, the chance of being
killed or permanently disabled is higher
than if that person had not been
drinking. And we've already seen that
the chance
of a crash itself is higher for
drinking drivers.
A
Drinking and then driving is
very dangerous. Your
reflexes, perceptions, and
I
judgment will be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
could have a serious
- or even
fatal
- accident if you drive after
drinking. Please don't drink and
drive or ride with a driver who has
been drinking. Ride home in a
cab; or if you're with a group,
designate a driver who
will not
drink.
I Conboi 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.
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. That means you can
lose control of your vehicle.
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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 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.
Most drivers treat their brakes with
care. Some, however, overwork 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.
your left foot rest lightly on the brake
pedal
while driving.
Don’t “ride” the brakes by letting
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Your Driving
GAU I IUN
... 128
A
“Riding” your brakes can
cause them to overheat to the
I
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.
NU 1 /Ut
“Riding” the brakes wears them
)ut much faster. You would n
:ostly brake replacement mucl
iooner than normal, and it
-educes
fuel econo----
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.
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 as 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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L
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) You slam on the brakes. Here’s what
Your vehicle has an advanced electronic happens with
ABS.
braking system that can help you keep it A computer senses that a rear wheel is
under control. When you stag your
-
vehicle and begin to drive away, you
may hear a momentary motor or
clicking noise. The ABS motor comes
on momentarily when the vehicle
reaches
8 mph (12 km/h). This is the
ABS system testing itself.
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. slowing
down. The computer works the
brakes at the rear wheels. It is
programmed to make the most
of
available tire and road conditions.
As you brake, your computer keeps
receiving updates on rear wheel speed
and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
I
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, 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.
129.
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Your Driving and the Road
To Use Anti-Lock:
Use rear wheel anti-lock like regular
brakes.
You may feel the brakes vibrate,
or you may notice some noise outside
your vehicle, but this is normal. Let
anti-lock work for you, but remember:
Your front wheels can still stop rolling.
If that happens, release enough pressure
on the brakes to get the wheels rolling
again
so that you can steer.
With the four-wheel-drive option, you
won't have anti-lock braking when you
shift into four-wheel drive. But you will
have regular braking. When you shift
back into two-wheel drive, you will
have anti-lock again.
- 130
Disc Brake Wear Indicators
Your Geo has front disc and rear drum
brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear
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).
t
The brake wear warning
l sound means that sooner or
1; : your brakes won't work well.
I'hat could lead to an accident.
When you hear the brake wear
cerviced.
indicators
that make
a high-pitched
warning
sound when the brake Pads are I I warning sound, have your vehicle
I
II
IVV I IUL
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads cc
in cost'
brake rep;
'I
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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
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.
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
1,000 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.
131
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Your Driving and the Road
II. 132
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets
into a situation that requires hard
braking.
You have the rear wheel
anti-lock braking system. Your front
wheels can stop rolling when you brake
very hard. Once they do, the vehicle
can’t respond to your steering.
Momentum will carry it in whatever
direction it was headed when
the wheels
stopped rolling. That could be off the
road, into the very thing you
were
trying to avoid, or into traffic.
So, use a “squeeze” braking technique.
This
will give you maximum braking
while maintaining steering control. You
do this by pushing on the brake pedal
with steadily increasing pressure. When
you do, you can maintain steering
control. 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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