Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
Driving and Operating 8-7
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 the 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.
If the 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, the 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,
slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to
slow down on slippery surfaces
because stopping distance is longer
and vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with
reduced traction, try 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 might
not realize the surface is slippery
until the 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: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Competitive Driving
Competitive driving may affect the
vehicle warranty. See the warranty
book before using the vehicle for
racing or other competitive driving.
The new vehicle break‐in must be
performed before the vehicle is
used for competitive driving. See
New Vehicle Break-In on page 8‑17.
Notice: If you use your vehicle
for competitive driving, the
engine may use more oil than it
would with normal use. Low oil
levels can damage the engine.
Be sure to check the oil level
often during competitive driving
and keep the level at or near the
upper mark that shows the proper
operating range on the engine oil
dipstick. For information on how
to add oil, see Engine Oil
on
page 9‑10.
For competitive driving, it is
recommended that the brake fluid
be replaced with a high performance
brake fluid that has a dry boiling
point greater than 279°C (534°F).
Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2010
Driving and Operating 8-45
California Fuel
Requirements
If the vehicle is certified to meet
California Emissions Standards,
it is designed to operate on fuels
that meet California specifications.
See the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California emissions
standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission
control system performance might
be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp could turn on and the
vehicle might fail a smog‐check test.
SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on
page 4‑20. If this occurs, return to
your authorized dealer for diagnosis.
If it is determined that the condition
is caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Fuels in Foreign
Countries
If you plan on driving in another
country outside the United States
or Canada, the proper fuel might
be hard to find. Never use leaded
gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text
on fuel. Costly repairs caused by
use of improper fuel would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an
auto club, or contact a major oil
company that does business in the
country where you will be driving.
Fuel Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines
in the United States are now
required to contain additives that
help prevent engine and fuel system
deposits from forming, allowing the
emission control system to work
properly. In most cases, nothing
should have to be added to the fuel.
However, some gasolines contain only the minimum amount of
additive required to meet U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
regulations. To help keep fuel
injectors and intake valves clean,
or if the vehicle experiences
problems due to dirty injectors or
valves, look for gasoline that is
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline. Look for the TOP TIER
label on the fuel pump to ensure
gasoline meets enhanced
detergency standards developed
by the auto companies. A list of
marketers providing TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline can be found
at www.toptiergas.com.
For customers who do not use
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline
regularly, one bottle of GM Fuel
System Treatment PLUS, added to
the fuel tank at every engine oil
change, can help clean deposits
from fuel injectors and intake
valves. GM Fuel System Treatment
PLUS is the only gasoline additive
recommended by General Motors.
It is available at your dealer.
