2005 CHEVROLET EPICA traction control

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 vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
are not 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. If your traction control 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
will 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.
4-14

Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet
the road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You
will have a lot less traction, or grip, and will need to be
very careful.What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold snow
or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice
can be even more trouble because it may offer the least
traction of all. You can get wet ice when it is about
freezing, 32°F (0°C), and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there.
Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed, blowing,
or loose snow — drive with caution.
Traction control improves your ability to accelerate when
driving on a slippery road. Even though your vehicle
has a traction control system (TCS), you will want
to slow down and adjust your driving to the road
conditions. Under certain conditions, you may want to
turn the TCS off, such as when driving through
deep snow and loose gravel, to help maintain vehicle
motion at lower speeds. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-8.
Your anti-lock brake system (ABS) improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though you have ABS, you will
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement.
4-25

Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the Unites States National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, which grades tires by treadwear,
traction and temperature performance. (This applies
only to vehicles sold in the United States.) The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does not
apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires, space-saver
or temporary use spare tires, tires with nominal rim
diameters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1
1⁄2) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction — AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
5-57

Light
Airbag Readiness........................................3-33
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning...................3-37
Brake System Warning.................................3-36
Charging System.........................................3-35
Cruise Control.............................................3-45
Daytime Running Lamps Indicator..................3-45
Door Ajar...................................................3-45
Highbeam On.............................................3-45
Hold Mode.................................................3-39
Low Fuel Warning.......................................3-47
Malfunction Indicator....................................3-41
Oil Pressure...............................................3-44
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator..................3-34
Safety Belt Reminder...................................3-32
Safety Belt Reminder Tone...........................3-33
Speed Sensitive Power Steering (SSPS)
Warning Light..........................................3-37
TCS Warning Light......................................3-38
Tire Pressure..............................................3-40
Traction Control System Active......................3-38
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning..........3-38
Traction Off................................................3-39
Trunk Ajar..................................................3-46
Lighting
Entry.........................................................3-16
Lockout Protection..........................................2-10
Locks
Central Door Unlocking System....................... 2-8
Door........................................................... 2-7Locks (cont.)
Lockout Protection.......................................2-10
Power Door.................................................. 2-8
Rear Door Security Locks............................... 2-9
Long Trip/Highway Scheduled Maintenance........6-14
Loss of Control...............................................4-13
Low Fuel Warning Light...................................3-47
Lumbar
Manual Controls............................................ 1-4
M
Maintenance, Normal Replacement Parts............5-84
Maintenance Schedule
At Each Fuel Fill.........................................6-19
At Least Once a Month................................6-19
At Least Once a Year..................................6-20
At Least Twice a Year..................................6-20
Brake System Inspection..............................6-24
Engine Cooling System Inspection.................6-23
Exhaust System Inspection...........................6-23
Fuel System Inspection................................6-23
How This Section is Organized....................... 6-3
Introduction.................................................. 6-2
Long Trip/Highway Scheduled Maintenance.....6-14
Maintenance Requirements............................. 6-2
Part A - Scheduled Maintenance Services......... 6-4
Part B - Owner Checks and Services.............6-19
Part C - Periodic Maintenance Inspections......6-23
7

Storage Areas (cont.)
Glove Box..................................................2-31
Rear Seat Armrest.......................................2-32
Sunglasses Storage Compartment..................2-32
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow......................4-28
Sun Visors.....................................................2-13
Sunroof.........................................................2-33
T
Tachometer....................................................3-32
Taillamps
Turn Signal, Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps......5-44
TCS Active Light.............................................3-38
TCS Warning Light..........................................3-38
Theft-Deterrent System....................................2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems...................................2-14
Immobilizer.................................................2-15
Immobilizer Operation...................................2-16
Throttle System Inspection...............................6-24
Tilt Adjuster, Driver Seat.................................... 1-3
Tilt Wheel........................................................ 3-6
Time .............................................................3-18
Tire
Pressure Light.............................................3-40
Tires.............................................................5-46
Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning..........................5-72
Buying New Tires........................................5-56
Chains.......................................................5-59
Changing a Flat Tire....................................5-61Tires (cont.)
Cleaning....................................................5-73
Compact Spare Tire.....................................5-67
If a Tire Goes Flat.......................................5-60
Inflation -- Tire Pressure...............................5-52
Inspection and Rotation................................5-54
Installing the Spare Tire................................5-63
Removing the Flat Tire.................................5-63
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools...............5-62
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-67
Tire Sidewall Labelling..................................5-47
Tire Terminology and Definitions....................5-49
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.........................5-56
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance.................5-58
Wheel Replacement.....................................5-58
When It Is Time for New Tires......................5-55
Top Strap......................................................1-37
Top Strap Anchor Location...............................1-39
Towing
Recreational Vehicle.....................................4-34
Towing a Trailer..........................................4-35
Your Vehicle...............................................4-33
Traction
Control System Active Light..........................3-38
Control System (TCS).................................... 4-8
Control System Warning Light.......................3-38
Off Light.....................................................3-39
Transaxle
Fluid, Automatic...........................................5-19
11