1994 CHEVROLET CAMARO traction control

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Features and Controls
I NOTICE:
I
If you skip more than one gear when
you downshift, or if you race the
engine when
you downshift, you can
damage the clutch or transmission.
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
[f you have this feature, your rear axle
:an give you additional traction on snow,
mud, ice, sand or gravel.
It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but when
me of the rear wheels has
no traction and
:he other does, the limited-slip feature
will allow the wheel with traction to
move the vehicle.
Parking
Parking Brake
The parking brake uses the brakes on the
rear wheels
To set the parking brake: Hold the brake
pedal down and pull up on the parking
brake lever.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
... 66

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Features and Controls
bise Control (OPTION)
Vith Cruise Control, you can maintain a
peed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or
lore without keeping your foot on the
ccelerator. This can really help
on long
ips. Cruise Control does not work
at
peeds below about 25 mph (40 km/h).
Vhen you apply your brakes, or push
he clutch pedal,
if you have a manual
ransmission, the Cruise Control shuts
of
A CAUTION:
Cruise Control can be dangerous
where you can’t drive safely at a
steady speed.
So, don’t use your
Cruise Control on winding roads
or in heavy traffic.
Cruise Control can be dangerous
on slipperly roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause needless wheel spinning,
and you could lose control. Don’t
use Cruise Control on slippery
roads.
To Set Cruise Control
1. Move the Cruise Control switch to
“ON.”
A CAUTION:
If you leave your Cruise Control
switch
on when you’re not using
Cruise,
you might hit a button and
go into Cruise when you don’t want
to. You could be startled and even
lose control. Keep the Cruise Control
switch
“OFF” until you want to
use it.
... 76

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When this warning light is on, the system
will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
LOW TRAC
Low Traction Light
When your anti-lock system is adjusting
brake pressure to help avoid a braking
skid, the “LOW TRAC” light will appear
on your instrument cluster. If you have
the traction control system, this light
will
also come on when the system is limiting
wheel spin. Slippery road conditions may
exist if this light comes on,
so adjust your
driving accordingly. The light
will stay
on for a few seconds after the anti-lock
system stops adjusting brake pressure or
the traction control system stops limiting
wheel spin. The “LOW TRAC” light also
comes
on for three seconds, as a bulb
check, when
the engine is started.
hgine Coolant Temperature Gage
?his gage shows the engine coolant
emperature. If the gage pointer moves
nto the red area, your engine is too hot!
t means that your engine coolant has
jverheated. If you have been operating
’our vehicle under normal driving
:onditions, you should pull off
the road,
top your vehicle and turn
off the engine
IS soon as possible.
IOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU
3ADLY!
n “Problems on the Road,” this manual
#bows what to do. See “Engine
herheating”
in the Index.
97 ...

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say
the road is wet. You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out
in front
You slam on the brakes. Here’s what
happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are
slowing down. If one of the wheels is
about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front
wheel and at the rear wheels.
The anti-lock system can change the
brake pressure faster than any driver
could. The computer
is programmed to
make the most of available tire and road
conditions.
of you.
You can
steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps
receiving updates on wheel speed and
controls braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: 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.
To Use Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the
brake pedal down and let anti-lock
work for you. You may feel the system
working, or you may notice some noise, but this is normal. When your anti-lock
system
is adjusting brake pressure to help
avoid a braking skid, the
“LOW TRAC”
light will come
on. See “Low Traction
Light”
in the Index.
ASR (Acceleration Slip Regulation) System (Option:
LT1 VS Engine)
Your vehicle may have an ASR system
that limits wheel spin. This
is especially
useful in slippery road conditions. The
system operates only
if it senses that one
or both of the rear wheels are spinning or
beginning
to lose traction.
When this happens, the system works the
rear brakes and reduces engine power (by closing the throttle and managing spark)
to limit wheel spin.
The “LOW TRAC” light will come on
when your
ASR system is limiting wheel
spin. See “Low Traction Light” in the
Index. You may
feel the system working,
or you may notice some noise, but this is
normal.
The
ASR system may operate on dry
roads under some conditions, and you
may notice a reduction
in acceleration
when this happens.
This is normal and
doesn’t mean there’s a problem with
your
vehicle. Examples of these conditions
include a hard acceleration
in a turn, or
an abrupt upshift or downshift.
. . .I28

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Steering
Power Steering
If you lase power steering assist because
the engine stops or the system
is not
functioning, 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
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 carve
depends
on the condition of your tires 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.
I
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp
curve, Then
you suddenly accelerate.
Both control systems
- steering and
acceleration
- have to do their work
where the tires meet the road. Unless you
have traction control and the system is
on, adding the sudden acceleration can
demand too much of those places. You
can lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens?
Ease
up on the accelerator pedal, steer the
vehicle the way you want
it to go, and
slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves
warn 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 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 opt
of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into the
straightaway.
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,
. . ,130

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine much throttle causes the driving wheels to
spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by
easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
If you have the ASR system, remember: It
helps avoid only the acceleration skid. If
you do not have traction control, or
if the
system is
off, then an acceleration skid is
also best handled by easing your foot
off
the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your
foot
off the accelerator pedal and quickly
steer the way you want the vehicle to go.
If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be
ready for a second skid if it occurs.
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. While
driving on a surface with reduced
traction, try
your best to avoid sudden
steering, acceleration,
or braking
(including engine bralung 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.
. ..
I
4
Driving at Night
\Tight driving is more dangerous than day
hiving. One reason is that some drivers
tre likely to be impaired
- by alcohol or
lrugs, with night vision problems, or by
atigue.
lere
are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
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.
133 ...

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
I
;i”iii’ i ;i7: ,,:: : . .
0 You may want to put winter
emergency supplies in your vehicle.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush
or broom, a supply of windshield
washer
fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel,
a flashlight, a
red cloth, and a couple of reflective
warning triangles. And, if you
will be
driving under severe conditions,
include a small bag of sand, a piece of
old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you
properly secure these items
in your
vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
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. P. :’
$;.,
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.
Whatever the condition
- smooth ice,
packed, blowing or loose snow
- drive
with caution.
If you have traction control,
keep the system on.
It will improve your
ability to accelerate when driving on a
slippery road. Even though your vehicle
has a traction control system, you’ll want
to slow down and adjust your driving to
the road conditions. See “Acceleration
. . .I40

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Slip Regulation (ASR) System” in the
Index.
If you don’t have the traction control
system, 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 improve 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 “Anti-Lock” in
the Index.
0
0
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road.
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.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you
could be
in a serious situation. You should
probably stay with your vehicle unless
you know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through
the snow. Here
are some things to do to summon help and
keep yourself and your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard flashers. Tie a red
cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you’ve been stopped by the snow. Put
on
extra clothing or wrap a blanket around
you. If you have no blankets or extra
clothing, make body insulators from
newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor mats
- anything you can wrap around yourself
or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warrn, but
be careful.
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