Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1.
2.
Open the trunk and remove the two
side covers from the storage bag.
Install the two side covers by
engaging the tab into the front seatbelt
cover. Lower covers onto vehicle. 3. Install middle section of cover by
sliding tabs into slots on right side
cover. Lower cover and engage latch.
4. Close the trunk.
To Raise Your Convertible Top
1. Park on a level surface. Set the
parking brake firmly. If
you have
an automatic transmission, shift into
“P’ (Park). If you have a manual
transmission, shift into
“R’ (Reverse).
The ignition must be in
the “ACC” or
“Run” position. Then lower both
sun
visors and lower both windows at
least three inches. If the boot cover
is
in place, it must be removed first.
103 ...
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about
driving is: Drive defensively.
Please start with a very important safety
device in your Chevrolet: 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.
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.
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
0 Muscular Coordination
0 Vision
Police records show that almost 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
deaths are the result of someone who
was drinking and driving. About
20,000
motor vehicle-related deaths occur each
year because of alcohol, and thousands
of people are injured. Just
how much alcohol
is too much if a
person plans to drive? Ideally, no one
should drink alcohol and then drive. But
if one does, then what’s “too much”? It
can be a lot less than many might think.
Although it depends on each person and
situation, here is some general
information on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of
someone who is drinking depends upon
four things:
How much alcohol is
in the drink.
The drinker’s body weight.
The amount of food that is consumed
before and during drinking.
The length of time
it has taken the
drinker to consume the alcohol.
. . .I24
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
There’s something else about drinlcing
md 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 card 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 penmmently
disabled is higher than
if that person had
not been &inking. And we’ve already
seen that the chance of a crash itself is
higher far drinkine drivers.
itn~ have three systems that make you
rehide go where you want it to go. They
ue the brakes, the steering and the
um&mtor.
All thee systems have to do
heir work at the places where the tires
neet the road.
Zametimea;, as when you’re driving on
mow or ice, it’s easy to ask more of those
:ontrol systems than the tires and road
can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle.
Br4king
hkblg WtiQIl hVlolV(eB
and reaction time.
First,
you have to decide to push on the
brake pedal. That% perception time,
Then you have to bring up yslur foot
and
do it. That’s
. . ,126
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. 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 when
you brake. Once the power assist is used
up, it may take longer to stop and the
brake pedal
will be harder to push.
inti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
tour Chevrolet has an advanced
klectronic braking system that
will help
- revent sludding.
ABS
INOP
?his light on the instrument panel will go
m when you start your vehicle.
Nhen you start your vehicle, or when yo1
)egin to drive away, you may hear a
nomentary motor or clicking noise. And
’ou may even notice that your brake
bedal moves a little while
this is going on
:his
is the ABS system testing itself. If
here’s a problem with the anti-lock brake
ystem, the anti-lock brake system
varning light will stay
on or flash.
;ee “Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
ight” in the Index.
1
127 ...
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 ‘I i
If your vehicle is in cruise control when
the ASR system begins
to limit wheel
spin, the cruise control will automaticallq
disengage. When road conditions allow
you to safely use it again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. (See
“Cruise Control” in the Index.)
The “ASR” warning light will come on
when you tu-n the ASR system off. Whe~
the system is on, this light will come on
to let you know if there’s a problem with
your ASR system.
See “ASR System
Warning Light” in the Index.
When this warning light is on, the system
will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
drjving accordingly.
ASR
The ASR system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle.
To limit wheel spin, especially in
slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can
turn the ASR system
off if you ever need
to. (You should turn the system
off if
your vehicle ever gets stuck in sand,
mud, ice or snow.
See “Rocking Your
Vehicle” in the Index.)
To turn the system
off, press the button on
the console near the cigarette lighter. The
“ASIC” warning light will come on and
stay on. -If the ASR system is limiting
wheel spin when you press the button, the
system won’t turn off right away. It will
wait until there’s no longer a current need
to limit wheel spin. You
can turn the system back on at any
time by pressing the button again. The
*‘ASR’ warning light should go
off.
[f your car is equipped with P245/50ZR16
tires, the ASR system will automatically
turn
off at speeds above 108 mph (173
km/h). (The “ASR” warning light will
not come on.) When vehicle speed drops
below
103 mph (165 km/h), the system
will automatically turn on again.
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when
you need to. With anti-lock, you can
steer and brake
a1 the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
129 ...
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 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