2001 CHEVROLET CORVETTE brakes

2-108
REDUCE ENGINE RPM: You will hear four chimes
when this message is displayed. To acknowledge the
warning, press the RESET button. After you press the
RESET button, a message will be displayed and you
will hear a chime every minute until this condition
changes. If you do not press RESET, the message will
remain on the digital display until the condition changes.
If the engine oil temperature exceeds 320
F (160
C),
this message is displayed. You should check the engine
coolant temperature and engine oil level. If your engine
is too hot, see ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index. Your
vehicle may need service, so see your dealer. You can
monitor the oil temperature with the GAGES button on
the DIC.
HIGH TRANS TEMP (Automatic Transmission
Only): You will hear four chimes when this message is
displayed. To acknowledge this warning, press the RESET
button. After you press the RESET button, the message
will be displayed every 10 minutes until the condition
changes. If you do not press RESET, the message remains
on the display until the condition changes.
If the transmission fluid temperature rises above
270
F (132
C) or rises rapidly, this message is
displayed. The transmission may shift gears or apply the
torque converter clutch to reduce the fluid temperature.
Driving aggressively or driving on long hills can causethe transmission fluid temperature to be higher than
normal. If this message appears, you may continue to
drive at a slower speed. You should also monitor the
transmission fluid temperature and allow it to cool to at
least 230
F (110
C). The transmission fluid temperature
can be monitored with the GAGES button on the DIC.
See ªAutomatic Transmission Fluidº in the Index. You
should also check the engine coolant temperature. If it is
also hot, see ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
If the HIGH TRANS TEMP message is displayed during
normal vehicle operation on flat roads, your vehicle may
need service. See your dealer for an inspection.
SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING: If the SERVICE
ACTIVE HNDLG message is displayed, there is a
problem with your Active Handling System and your
vehicle needs service. The instrument cluster light will
also be on and a chime will sound. When this message is
displayed, the system is not working. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
ACTIVE HANDLING: Your vehicle is equipped with
a computer controlled system to assist the driver in
controlling the vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
You may feel or hear the system working and see the
ACTIVE HANDLING message displayed in the DIC.
This is normal when the system is operating. Also see
ªAnti
-Lock Brakesº in the Index.

4-6
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. Also see ªTraction Control System
(TCS)º and ªActive Handling Systemº in the Index.
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.

4-7
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 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 and 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 a little. This is normal.
If there's a problem with the
anti
-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº in
the Index.

4-8
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 and continue braking. 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 wheel.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. This can help you steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.

4-9
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 hear a
motor or clicking noise and feel the brake pedal move a
little during a stop, but this is normal.
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.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle has a traction control system called TCS
that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in
slippery road conditions. The system operates only if it
senses that the rear wheels are spinning too much or are
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 TRACTION SYS ACTIVE message will come on
when the TCS system is limiting wheel spin. See
ªTraction Sys Active Messageº in the Index. You may
feel or hear the system working, but this is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the TCS 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 ªCruise Controlº in the Index.

4-11
Active Handling System
The Active Handling System is a computer controlled
system that helps the driver maintain directional control
of the vehicle in difficult driving conditions. This is
accomplished by selectively applying any one of the
vehicle's brakes.
When you first start your vehicle and begin to drive
away (6 mph (10 km/h)), the message ACT HNDLG
WARMING UP may be displayed in the DIC, the
instrument cluster light will be on, and a chime will
sound. This is normal. You can acknowledge this
message by pressing the RESET button. The Active
Handling System performance is affected until the
message, WARM UP COMPLETE, is displayed in
the DIC.
The ACT HNDLG WARMING UP message may be
displayed in the DIC after exceeding 12 mph (20 km/h)
for 30 seconds. The Active Handling System is off until
the WARM UP COMPLETE message is displayed.
The ACTIVE HANDLING message will come on when
the system is operating. See ªDriver Information Center
Messagesº in the Index for more information. You may
also feel or hear the system working. This is normal.
The SERVICE ACTIVE
HNDLG message will be
displayed, the instrument
cluster light will come on,
and a chime will sound to
let you know if there is a
problem with the system.
See ªDriver Information
Center Messagesº in the
Index for more information.
When this light and the SERVICE ACTIVE HNDLG
message are on, the system is not operational. Adjust
your driving accordingly.
The Active Handling System comes on automatically
whenever you start your vehicle. To help maintain
directional control of the vehicle, you should always
leave the system on. You can turn the system off if you
ever need to. If you turn the Active Handling System
off, the Traction Control System will also be turned off.
Adjust your driving accordingly.
To turn the system off, press the ACTIVE HANDLING
button on the console. You can turn the system on
and off at any time by pressing the button. The DIC
will display the appropriate message when you push
the button.

4-13
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. Adding the sudden acceleration can
demand too much of those places. You can lose control.
Refer to ªTraction Control Systemº in the Index.
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 ªdriveº through
the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out 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 vehicle can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes. See ªBraking in
Emergenciesº earlier in this section. It is better to
remove as much speed as you can from a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left
or right depending on the space available.

4-16

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 lamps 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
ªoverdrivingº those conditions. But skids are
always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle'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.
Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid
only the acceleration skid.