Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Features and Controls
vlain Light Control
’he main light control is a knob that
vorks these lights:
b Headlights
b Taillights
Parking lights
b License lights
1 Sidemarker lights
b Instrument panel lights
rurn the knob to -w- to turn on your
leadlights and ot&?operating lights.
rurn the knob to
pg to turn on your
larking lights without your headlights.
rurn the knob to
“OFF’ to turn off the
ights.
Brightness Control
This switch controls the brightness of
your instrument panel lights. Turn the
switch to brighten or dim the lights. If yo1
turn the switch all the way up to
0w,
your courtesy lights will come on.
Lights On Reminder
If you turn the ignition “Off” and leave
the lights on, you will hear a chime when
you open the driver’s door.
Daytime Running Lights (Canada)
The Canadian Federal Government has
decided that “Daytime Running Lights”
(DRL) are
a useful feature, in that DRL
can make your vehicle more visible to
pedestrians and other drivers during
daylight hours.
DRL are required on new
vehicles sold in Canada.
Your DRL work with a light sensor on top
of the instrument panel. Don’t cover it up.
The front turn signal lights will come
on
in daylight when:
The ignition is on
The headlight switch is off, and
The parking brake is released.
At dusk, the exterior lights will come
on
automatically and the front turn signal
lights will go out. At dawn, the exterior
lights will go out and the front
turn signal
lights will come on (if the headlight
switch is off).
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 while the ignition is in
the
“Off” or “LOCK’ position. Then start
the vehicle. The DRL will stay
off until
you release the parking brake.
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine \
?og Lights (Option)
Jse your fog lights for better vision in
oggy or misty conditions. Your parking
ights must be on or your fog lights won7
work.
To turn the fog lights on, push the switch
tbove
$0 . Push the bottom of the
;witch to turn the fog lights off.
A light
In the switch will come on when the fog
ights are on.
Zog lights
will go off whenever your higl
>earns come
on. When the high beams gc
Iff, the fog lights will come on again.
I Interior Lights
ourtesy Lights
Then any door is opened, several interior
ghts go on. These lights are courtesy
ghts. They make it easier for you to
Iter and leave your vehicle.
ourtesy lights include the dome light
Id other lights throughout the interior of
)ur vehicle.
kont Map Lights
Tour inside rearview mirror includes two
nap lights. Each light has its own switch.
Jse the switch closest to the light to turn
t on. The lights will also go on when a
loor is opened.
81 ...
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trip Odometer
The trip odometer can tell you how far
your vehicle has been driven since you
last set the trip odometer to.zero.
To set the trip odometer to zero, press the
hob.
Tachometer
The tachometer displays the engine speed
in thousands
of revolutions per minute
(rpm).
NOTICE:
Do not operate the engine with the
tachometer in the red area, or engine
damage may occur.
Warning Lights, Gages
and Indicators
This section describes the warning lights
and gages that may be on your vehicle.
The pictures will help you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that
something is wrong before it becomes
serious enough to cause an expensive
repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also
save you or others from injury.
Warning lights go on when there may be
or is a problem with one of your vehicle’s
functions.
As you will see in the details
on the next few pages, some warning
lights come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key just to let you know they’re
working.
If you are familiar with this
section, you should not be alarmed when
this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be
or
is a problem with one of your vehicle’s
functions. Often gages and warning lights
work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle. When one
of the warning lights comes on
and stays
on when you are driving, or
when one of the gages shows there may
be a problem, check the section that tells
you what to do about it. Please follow the
manual’s advice. Waiting to do repairs
can be costly
- and even dangerous. So
please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
93 ...
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
a
a
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.
Do not get too close to the vehicle you
want to pass while you’re awaiting an
opportunity. For one thing, following
too closely reduces your area of
vision, especially if you’re following a
larger vehicle. Also, you won’t have
adequate space if the vehicle ahead
suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is
coming 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. If the way is
clear to pass, you will have a “running
start” that more than makes up for 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.
0
a
a
a
If other cars 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 and check the blind
spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your
shoulder, and start your left lane
change signal before moving out 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 outside
mirror is convex. The vehicle you just
passed may seem to be farther away
from you than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle
at a time on two-lane roads.
Reconsider before passing the next
vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving
vehicle too rapidly. Even though the
brake lights are not flashing, it may be
slowing down
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.
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.
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 brakmg 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
. . .132
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
Slow down, especially on higher
speed roads. Your headlights
can light
up only
so much road ahead.
0 In remote areas, watch for animals.
0 If you’re tired, pull off the road in a
safe place and rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the
daytime. But as we get older these
differences increase. A 50-year-old driver
may require at least twice as much light to
see the same thing at night as a
20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also
affect your night vision. For example, if
you spend the day in bright sunshine you
are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes
will have less trouble adjusting to night.
But if you’re driving, don’t wear
sunglasses at night. They may cut down
on glare from headlights, but they also
make a lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by
approaching lights.
It can take a second or
two, or even several seconds, for your
eyes to readjust to the dark. When you are
faced with severe glare (as from a driver
who doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle
with misaimed headlights), slow
down
a little. Avoid staring directly into
the approaching lights.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on
your vehicle clean
- inside and out.
Glare at night is made much worse by dirt
on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty
glass makes lights dazzle and flash more
than clean glass would, malung the pupils
of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlights light up
far less of a roadway when you are in a
turn or curve.
Keep your eyes moving; that way, it’s
easier to pick out dimly lighted objects.
Just as your headlights should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so
should your eyes be examined regularly.
Some drivers suffer from night blinduess
- the inability to see in dim light - and
aren’t even aware of
it.
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can mean driving
trouble. On a wet road you can’t stop,
accelerate or turn as well because your
tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on
dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have
much tread left, you’ll get even less
traction. It’s always wise
to go slower
and be cautious if rain starts to fall
while you are driving. The surface may
get wet suddenly when your reflexes
are tuned for driving on dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to
see. Even if your windshield wiper blades
are in good shape, a heavy rain can make
it harder to see road signs and traffic
signals, pavement markings, the edge of
the road, and even people walking.
. . .I34
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher
speeds. There just isn’t
a hard and fast
rule about hydroplaning. The best advice
is to slow down when it is raining.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
0
0
0
Turn on your low-beam headlights -
not just your parking lights - to help
make you more visible to others.
Besides slowing down, allow some
extra following distance. And be
especially careful
when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more
clear room ahead, and be prepared to
have your view restricted by road
spray.
Have good tires with proper tread
depth. (See “Tires”
in the Index.)
City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city
streets is the amount
of traffic on them.
You’ll want to watch out for what the
other drivers are doing and pay attention
to traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety
in
city driving:
Know the best way to get to where
you are going.
Get a city map and plan
your trip into an unknown part of the
city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and
crisscross most large cities. You’ll
save time and energy. (See the next
section, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signal.
A traffic light
is there because the
corner
is busy enough to need it.
When a light turns green, and just
before you start to move, check both
ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be
running the red light.
. . .136
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
e
e
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:
Have you checked all levels?
Lights: Are they all working? Are the
lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a
safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread
good enough for long-distance
driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
weather outlook along your route?
Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major
storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date
maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as
“highway hypnosis”? Or is it just plain
falling asleep at the wheel? Call
it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch
of road with the same scenery, along with
the hum of the tires
on the road, the drone
of the engine, and the rush
of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t
let it happen to
you! If it
does, your vehicle can leave the road in
less than a second, and you could crash
and be injured.
What can you do about highway
hypnosis? First, be aware that
it can
happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well
ventilated,
with a comfortably cool
interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road
ahead and
to the sides. Check your
rearview mirrors and your instruments
frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull
off the road into
a rest, service, or parking area and
take
a nap, get some exercise, or both.
For safety, treat drowsiness on the
highway as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain
Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is
different from driving
in flat or rolling
terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep
:ountry, or
if you’re planning to visit
there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle
in good shape.
Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work
hard on mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most
important thing
to know is this: let
your engine do some of the slowing
. . .13%