1998 CHEVROLET PRIZM brakes

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used
on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
Q
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,111,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols are important
for you and
your passengers whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS e e
TURN
FOG LAMPS
$0
These symbols are
on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING FAN
These symbols are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE t
COOLANT t- TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(8)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
a
HORN )tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
viii

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine It is dangc- JUS to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re
on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer’’
~ See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
~ in the Index.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has
a
brake-transaxle shift interlock. You have to fully apply
your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK (P)
when the ignition key is in ON. If you cannot shift out
of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever -- push the
shift lever all the way into PARK
(P) and release the
shift lever button as you maintain brake application.
Then press the shift lever button and move the shift
lever into the gear you wish. See “Shifting Out of
PARK (P)” in the index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
“Stuck: In Sand,
Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index.
2-15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re
already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is “racing” (running at high speed)
is dangerous. Unless your foot
is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people
or objects. Don’t shift out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL
(N) while your engine is racing.
NOTICE:
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of PARK
(P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine
racing isn’t covered by your warrantv. DRIVE (D):
This
position is for normal driving. If you
need more power for passing, and you’re:
Going less than about 27 mph (43 M), push
your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 29 mph (47 kmh) or more, push
your accelerator pedal all the way down.
You’ll shift down to the
next gear and have
more power.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy.
You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes
off and on.
-- ~~
NOTICE:
Don’t drive in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km), or at speeds over 55 mph
(88 kmh), or you can damage your transaxle.
Use DRIVE (D) as much as possible.
Don’t shift into SECOND
(2) unless you are going
slower than
58 mph (93 km/h), or you can
damage your engine.
2-16

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine LOW (L): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than SECOND
(2). You can
use it on very steep hills,
or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in
LOW (L), the transaxle won’t shift
into low gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
I NOTICE.
If your front wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen
if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against
a
solid object. You could damage your transaxle.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
’ pedal. This could overheat and damage the
1 transaxle. Use your brakes to hold your vehicle
~ in position on a hill.
Overdrive (Option)
If your automatic transaxle has OVERDRIVE, you
can use it for better fuel economy. After starting your
engine, always push in the OVERDRIVE button. Then
select the gear you want and press the accelerator pedal.
Gradual starts give you the best fuel economy. Fast
starts use the most fuel.
A light on the instrument panel will come on whenever
you turn
off OVERDRIVE. See “Overdrive Off Light”
in the Index.
2-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
Shifting Into PARK (P)
A
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If
you have left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even when
you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps that
follow.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake by pulling up on the parking
brake lever.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) as follows:
I
0 Hold in the button on the shift lever.
0 Push the lever all the way toward the front of
the vehicle.
3. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
4.
Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with
the key in your hand, your
vehicle is
in PARK (P).
2-21

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
RI - - ng (Autom;- ‘ic -‘an - - --’e Only)
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in PARK
(P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
Torque Lock (Automatic Transaxle)
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transaxle. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.” To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver’s
seat. To find out how, see “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in
the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P)
before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle,
so you
can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
(Automatic Transaxle)
Your vehicle has a Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock
(BTSI). You have to fully apply your regular brakes
before you can shift from PARK
(P) when the ignition
is in the
ON position. See “Automatic Transaxle
Operation” in the Index.
2-22

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light (Option)
ABS
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 light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be a problem w ‘th your
regular brakes. Pull
off the road and stop carefully. You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal
may go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop.
Have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your
Vehicle” in the Index.)
Your regular brake system may not be working
properly if the anti-lock brake system warning
light is flashing. Driving with the anti-lock
brake system warning light flashing can lead
to an accident. After you’ve pulled
off the road
and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
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 but not flashing and the regular brake system
warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but you
don’t have anti-lock brakes.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the
light doesn’t come
on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn
you if there is a problem.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to
go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you’re driving
on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more
of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means
you can lose control
of your vehicle.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up
your foot and
do it. That’s reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But
that’s only
an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long
as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in
3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at
60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency,
so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and others
is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface
of the road (whether it’s pavement or
gravel); the condition of the road (wet,
dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight
of the
vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.