2008 CHEVROLET AVEO ABS

If the light comes on while you are driving, 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. If the light is still on,
have the vehicle towed for service. SeeTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-27.
{CAUTION:
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
have pulled off the road and stopped carefully,
have the vehicle towed for service.
Antilock Brake System Warning
Light
For vehicles with
the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), this light
will come on briefly
when the engine is started.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF or if
the light comes on, 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 are driving, your vehicle needs service. See your
dealer/retailer. If the regular brake system warning light is
not on, you still have brakes, but you do not have antilock
brakes. If the regular brake system warning light is also
on, you do not have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with your regular brakes. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 3-33.
The ABS warning light will come on briefly when you
turn the ignition to ON/RUN. This is normal. If the
light does not come on then, have it fixed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
3-34

Antilock Brake System
Warning Light
For vehicles with
the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), this
light will come on briefly
when the engine is started.
If it does not come on have your vehicle serviced.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
If the light comes on, 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 are driving, your vehicle needs service. See your
dealer/retailer. If the regular brake system warning light is
not on, you still have brakes, but you do not have antilock
brakes. If the regular brake system warning light is also
on, you do not have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with your regular brakes. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 3-33.
Hold Mode Light
If your vehicle has this
feature, this light comes
on when the hold mode is
active.
If the HOLD mode light flashes, have your vehicle
checked. See “Hold Mode” underAutomatic
Transmission Operation on page 2-21for more
information.
3-48

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-3
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-4
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-5
Steering........................................................4-6
Off-Road Recovery.........................................4-8
Passing........................................................4-8
Loss of Control..............................................4-8
Driving at Night............................................4-10
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-10Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-12
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-12
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-12
Winter Driving..............................................4-13
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................4-17
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-17
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-18
Towing..........................................................4-27
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-27
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-27
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-28
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

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.
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 might 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 could 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 can take longer
to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle might have the Antilock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that will
help prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has ABS,
this warning light will come
on briefly when you start
your vehicle.
The warning light is on the instrument panel cluster for
a sedan. SeeAntilock Brake System Warning Light
on page 3-34. For hatchback models, the warning light
is on the Secondary Information Center (SIC). See
Antilock Brake System Warning Light on page 3-48.
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 wheel.
4-4

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.
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 firmly and let antilock 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 first
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. SeeAntilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-4.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
4-5

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, the 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 and an acceleration skid are 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 reducing vehicle speed 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.
If you have the Antilock Brake System (ABS), remember:
It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have
ABS, then in a braking skid, where the wheels are no
longer rolling, release enough pressure on the brakes to
get the wheels rolling again. This restores steering
control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when you
have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are rolling,
you will have steering control.
4-9

Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where the tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between the tires and the
road, you can have a very slippery situation. You have a
lot less traction, or grip, and 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 can offer the leasttraction 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.
Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and
polish the surface under the tires even more.
Unless your vehicle has the Antilock Brake System
(ABS), you want to brake very gently, too. If you do have
ABS, seeAntilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-4.
ABS improves your vehicle’s stability when you make
a hard stop on a slippery road. Whether your vehicle
has ABS or not, begin stopping sooner than you
would on dry pavement. Without ABS, if you feel your
vehicle begin to slide, let up on the brakes a little.
Push the brake pedal down steadily to get the most
traction you can.
4-14

Remember, unless your vehicle has ABS, if you
brake so hard that the wheels stop rolling, you will
just slide. Brake so the wheels always keep rolling
and you can still steer.
•Whatever your vehicle’s braking system, allow
greater following distance on any slippery road.
•Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
fine until you hit a spot that is covered with ice.
On an otherwise clear road, ice patches can
appear in shaded areas where the sun cannot
reach, such as around clumps of trees, behind
buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surface
of a curve or an overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear. If you see a patch
of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it.
Try not to brake while you are actually on the ice,
and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in
a serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near
help and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and
your passengers safe:
•Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
•Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you have been stopped by the snow.
•Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you do not have blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags,
rags, floor mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
4-15