Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. 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.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your Chevrolet has an advanced electronic braking
system that will help prevent a braking
skid.
ABS
INOP
This light on the
instrument panel will
come on briefly when
you start your vehicle.
When
you start your vehicle, or when you begin to drive
away, you may hear a momentary motor or clicking
noise. And you may even notice that your brake pedal
moves a little while this is going on. This is the ABS
system testing itself. If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, the anti-lock brake system
warning light will stay
on or flash.
See “Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light”
in the
Index.
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ASR (Acceleration Slip Regulation) System
(Option: LT1 VS Engine)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system called
ASR 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 engine 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. Also, when
the compact spare tire
is on the rear axle, the ASR
system will cycle and limit acceleration for about the
first
15 seconds of driving after each engine start.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the ASR system
begins to
limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically
disengage. When road conditions allow
you to safely use
it again, you may re-engage the cruise
control. (See “Cruise Control”
in the Index.)
ASR
OFF
When the system is on,
the ASR OFF warning
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 driving accordingly.
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.
4-9
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The ASR OFF 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 OFF warning
light should go off.
If your car is equipped with P245bOZR16 tires, the
ASR system will automatically turn off at speeds above
108 mph (174 Mh). (The ASR OFF warning light
will not come
on.) When the vehicle speed drops below
103 mph (166 kmh) the system will automatically come
on again.
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when you need to.
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. 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 is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
4-10
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 braking 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
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 ASR, 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 braking 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 brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
4-15
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 part, “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.
4-20
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your Chevrolet in good shape for winter. Be
sure your engine coolant mix is correct.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your trunk. 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.
4-25
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that
can occur on the road.
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have
a problem. Your front and
rear
turn signal lamps will flash on and off.
Press the button in to make
your frc
signal 1
off.
ont and rear turn
ights flash on and
Your hazard warning flashers work no manel- what
position your key
is in, and even if the key isn’t in.
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To turn off the flashers.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn
signals won’t work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side
of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind your
vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables
to start your
Chevrolet. But please follow the
steps below to do it
safely.
i
NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty.
Trying to start your Chevrolet by pushing or
pulling it could damage your vehicle, even
if you
have a manual transmission. And
if you have an
automatic transmission, it won’t start that way.
5-2