1997 CHEVROLET CAMARO brake

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you 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 Allow greater following distance on any
0 Watch for slippery spots. The road might
slippery road.
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:
0 Turn on your hazard flashers.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in
a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
0
0
0
0
0
Put things in the rear area of your vehicle.
Try to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.
Don’t leave
an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Don’t leave a seat folded down unless you
need to.
Towing a Trailer
A CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull
a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your Chevrolet dealer
for advice and information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hitches Safety Chains
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here
are
some rules to follow:
0 The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended
for hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or
other bumper-type hitches to them. Use only
a frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to
the bumper.
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If
you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch.
If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to the
road if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer
or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains
to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its
own brakes -- and they must
be adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions
for the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust
and maintain them properly. Because you have anti-lock
brakes,
do not try to tap into your vehicle’s brake
system.
If you do, both brake systems won’t work well,
or at all.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want
to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During
your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load
is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need mofe passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good
deal longer, you’ll need
to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide
you.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Making firns
I NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider
turns than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t
strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other
objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
%rn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your Chevrolet dealer. The green arrows
on your
instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn
or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps
will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop. When
towing
a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you
start down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to
use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed
to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If
you are towing a trailer and you have an automatic
transmission with overdrive,
you may prefer to drive in
DRIVE
(D) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@)
(or, as you need to, a lower gear). Or, if you have a
manual transmission with FIFTH (5) or SIXTH (6) gear
and
you are towing a trailer it is better not to use
FIFTH
(5) or SIXTH (6) gear. Just drive in FOURTH
(4) gear (FIFTH (5) gear if you have a six-speed manual
transmission) (or, as
you need to, a lower gear).
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on
a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start
to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift
into PARK (P)
yet, or into gear for a
manual transmission.
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are
in place, release the
regular brakes. Then apply your parking brakes
until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake and then shift to PARK(P) or REVERSE (R)
for a manual transmission.
Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on
a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling
a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for
more on this. Things that are especially important
in
trailer operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system
and brake adjustment. Each
of these is covered in this
manual, and the Index will help
you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these
sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically
to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should
be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can
be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They
will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
turned to the OFF position.
The steering wheel should
be clamped in a straight-ahead position, with
a clamping
device designed for towing service.
Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column lock for this. The transmission
should be
in NEUTRAL (N) and the parking
brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed
on the drive wheels,
unless you must.
If the vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels, be sure to follow the speed and distance
restrictions later in this section or your transmission will
be damaged.
If these limitations must be exceeded, then
the drive wheels have to be supported on
a dolly.
5-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Attach a separate safety chain around the outboard end
of each lower control arm.
NOTICE: I
Take care not to damage the brake pipes and
hoses
or the ABS sensor and wiring.
NOTICE:
Towing a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage a vehicle, Damage can occur from
vehicle to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift
equipment contact,
To help avoid damage, install
a towing dolly and raise vehicle until adequate
clearance
is obtained between the ground and/or
wheel-lift equipment.
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