1998 CHEVROLET CAMARO brake light

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your brake system may not be working properly if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident. If the light
is still on after you’ve
pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake. The
light will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully. If it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have a brake problem.
ABS
INOP
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake system, this light will
come on when you start
your engine and it will
stay on for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition
off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition off. Then start
the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays on,
or comes on again
while you’re driving, your vehicle needs service.
If the
light is
on and the regular brake system warning light
isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have
anti-lock brakes. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition
key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you
if there is a problem.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ASR (Acceleration Slip Regulation) System
Warning Light (Option)
ASR
OFF
This warning light should
come on briefly as,you start
the engine. If the warning
light doesn’t come
on then,
have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you
if there’s
a problem.
If it stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there
may be
a problem with your ASR system and your
vehicle may need service. When this warning light is
on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
The ASR system warning light will come on if you turn
the system off by pressing the ASR switch located on
the instrument panel and the warning light will come on
and stay on. To turn the system back on, press the switch
again. The warning light should
go off. (See “ASR
System” in the Index for more information.)
If the
ASR system warning light comes on and stays on
for an extended period of time when the system is
turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Low Traction Light
LOW
TRAC
When your anti-lock system
is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid a braking skid,
this light will come on.
If you have the
ASR system, this light will also come on
when the system is limiting wheel spin. You may feel or
hear the system working, but this is normal. Slippery
road conditions may exist
if the low traction light comes
on,
so adjust your driving accordingly. The light will
stay on for a few seconds after the ASR system stops
limiting wheel spin.
The low traction light also comes on briefly when you
turn the ignition key to RUN. If the light doesn’t come
on then, have it fixed
so it will be there to tell you when
the anti-lock brake system
or ASR system is active.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent
a braking skid.
When you start your engine, or when
you begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves or pulses
a little. This is normal.
ABS
INOP
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” in
the Index.
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road
is wet.
You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front
of you.
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
both rear wheels.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
J
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 or always decrease
stopping distance. 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.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel a
slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but
this is normal.
LOW TRAC
’ When your anti-lock system
is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid
a braking skid,
this light will come on. See
“Low Traction Light” in
the Index.
4-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ASR (Acceleration Slip Regulation) System
(Option:
V8 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.
This light will come on
when your ASR system is
limiting wheel spin. See
“Low Traction Light”
in the
Index.
You may feel or hear
the system working, 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.
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, this
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.)
4-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1
To turn the system off,
press the ASR switch
The
ASR system warning light in the cluster will come
on and stay
on. The light on the switch will go out. If the
ASR system is limiting wheel spin when you press the
switch, the warning light will come on
-- but 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 switch again. The
ASR system warning light should
go off.
Braking in Emergencies
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.
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 curve 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems, too.
The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles.
But if you can’t,
try to slow down before you hit them.
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won’t work
as well in a quick stop and may cause pulling to
one side. You could lose control
of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle
of water or
a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until
your brakes work normally.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the water.
This can happen if the road is wet enough and you’re
going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning,
it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can if your
tires do not have much tread or
if the pressure in one or
more is low, It can happen
if a lot of water is standing on
the road,
If you can see reflections from trees, telephone
poles or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the
water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning.
4-18

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
When you have the front brake pads replaced, have
the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection” in Section
7 of
this manual under Part
C “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections.”
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign
of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a moderate brake stop, your
disc brakes adjust
for wear. If you rarely make a
moderate or heavier stop, then your brakes might not
adjust correctly. If you drive in that way, then
-- very
carefully
-- make a few moderate brake stops about
every
1,000 miles (1 600 km), so your brakes will
adjust properly. The
park brake system has separate brake linings that
do
not self adjust for wear. If the park brake lever pulls up
more than the normal eighteen clicks, the parking brakes
may need adjustment. See your dealer.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system
-- for example, when your brake linings wear
down and you have to have new ones put
in -- be sure
you get new approved
GM replacement parts. If you
don’t, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example, if someone puts
in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change
-- for the worse. The braking
performance you’ve come to expect can change in many
other ways if someone puts in the wrong replacement
brake parts.
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