2007 CHEVROLET IMPALA brake

SERVICE BATTERY CHARGING
SYSTEM
This message displays when there is a problem
with the generator and battery charging systems.
Driving with this problem could drain the battery.
Turn off all unnecessary accessories. Stop
and turn off the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so. Have the electrical system checked by your
dealer immediately.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
This message displays when service is required
on the brake system. Have the brake system
serviced by your dealer as soon as possible.
The brake system warning light also appears on
the instrument panel cluster when this message
appears on the DIC. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 181.
SERVICE POWER STEERING
This message displays when a problem is
detected with the power steering system. When
this message is displayed, you may notice that the
effort required to steer the vehicle increases or
feels heavier, but you will still be able to steer the
vehicle. Have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer immediately.
SERVICE THEFT SYSTEM
This message displays when there is a problem
with the theft-deterrent system programmed in the
key. A fault has been detected in the system
which means that the system is disabled and it is
not protecting the vehicle. The vehicle usually
restarts; however, you may want to take the
vehicle to your dealer before turning off the engine.
SeePASS-Key
®III+ Operation on page 109for
more information.
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Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle............................................ 248
Defensive Driving...................................... 248
Drunken Driving........................................ 249
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 252
Braking...................................................... 252
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 253
Braking in Emergencies............................. 255
Traction Control System (TCS).................. 256
Steering.................................................... 257
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 260
Passing..................................................... 260
Loss of Control.......................................... 262
Driving at Night......................................... 263
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 264City Driving............................................... 267
Freeway Driving........................................ 268
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 269
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 270
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 270
Winter Driving........................................... 272
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.......................................... 276
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 277
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 277
Towing........................................................ 282
Towing Your Vehicle................................. 282
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 282
Towing a Trailer........................................ 284
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
247

Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control your
vehicle while driving — brakes, steering, and
accelerator. At times, as when driving on snow
or ice, it is easy to ask more of those control
systems than the tires and road can provide.
Meaning, you can lose control of your vehicle.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 256.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can
affect your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories
and Modications on page 296.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 181.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to
bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is 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
three-fourths 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 is
pavement or gravel; the condition of the road,
whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition
of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle; and the
amount of brake force applied.
252

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. The brakes may not have time to
cool between hard stops. The 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 vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are
driving, brake normally but do not pump the
brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to
push down. If the 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.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 296.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle might have the Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced electronic braking
system that will help prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has ABS,
this warning light on
the instrument
panel cluster will come
on briey when you
start your vehicle.
When you start the engine, or when you begin to
drive away, ABS will check itself. You might hear a
momentary motor or clicking noise while this test is
going on, and you might even notice that the brake
pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
253

Let us say the road is wet and you are driving
safely. Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of
you. You slam on the brakes and continue braking.
Here is 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.ABS 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, the computer keeps receiving
updates on wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.
254

Remember: ABS does not 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 will not
have time to apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough
room up ahead to stop, even though you
have ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake
pedal down rmly and let anti-lock work for you.
You might feel a slight brake pedal pulsation
or notice some noise, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a
situation that requires hard braking.
If you have ABS, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However, if you do not have ABS, your
rst reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard and
hold it down — might be the wrong thing to
do. Your wheels can stop rolling. Once they do,
the vehicle cannot respond to your steering.Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it was
headed when the wheels stopped rolling. That
could be off the road, into the very thing you were
trying to avoid, or into traffic.
If you do not have ABS, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking
while maintaining steering control. You can do this
by pushing on the brake pedal with steadily
increasing pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want to
squeeze the brakes hard without locking the
wheels. If you hear or feel the wheels sliding, ease
off the brake pedal. This will help you retain
steering control. If you do have ABS, it is different.
SeeAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS) on page 253.
In many emergencies, steering can help you
more than even the very best braking.
255

Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system
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 front wheels
are spinning or beginning to lose traction. When
this happens, the system reduces engine
power and may also upshift the transmission
and apply the front brakes to limit wheel spin.
This light will ash
when your traction
control system is
limiting wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the
traction control 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. SeeCruise Control on page 157.The traction control system operates in all
transmission shift lever positions. But the system
can upshift the transmission only as high as
the shift lever position you’ve chosen, so you
should use the lower gears only when necessary.
SeeAutomatic Transaxle Operation on page 116.
When the system is on,
this warning light will
come on and stay on to
let you know if there’s
a problem.
A SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL message will
also appear on the DIC. When this warning
light is on, the system will not limit wheel spin.
Adjust your driving accordingly. SeeDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 199for more information.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, you should always leave the traction
control system on. But you can turn the system off
if you ever need to. You should turn the system
off if your vehicle ever gets stuck in sand, mud or
snow and rocking the vehicle is required.
256

The traction you can get in a curve depends on
the condition of the tires and the road surface, the
angle at which the curve is banked, and your
speed. While you are in a curve, speed is the
one factor you can control.
Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both
control systems — steering and braking — have
to do their work where the tires meet the road.
Unless you have four-wheel anti-lock brakes,
adding the hard braking can demand too much of
those places. You can lose control.
The same thing can happen if you are steering
through a sharp curve and you suddenly
accelerate. Those two control systems — steering
and acceleration — can overwhelm those
places where the tires meet the road and make
you lose control.What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up
on the brake or 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 will
want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while
the front wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive”
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.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can
affect your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories
and Modications on page 296.
258