CHEVROLET CAMARO 1995 4.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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 314 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
314 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; and the condition of your brakes.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 Chevrolet has an advanced electronic braking
system that will help prevent a braking
skid.
ABS
INOP
This light on the
instrument panel will
come on briefly when
you start your vehicle.
When
you start your vehicle, or when you begin to drive
away, you may hear a momentary motor or clicking
noise. And you may even notice that your brake pedal
moves a little while this is going on. This is the ABS
system testing itself. If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, the anti-lock brake system
warning light will stay
on or flash.
See “Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light”
in the
Index.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. 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 front wheel and at the
rear wheels.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard. As you brake, your
computer keeps receiving updates
on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time
you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal. 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.
To Use Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
and let anti-lock work
for you. You may feel the system
working, or you may notice
some noise, but this is
normal. When your anti-lock system is adjusting brake
pressure to help avoid
a braking skid, the LOW TRAC
light will come on. See
“Low Traction Light” in the
Index.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ASR (Acceleration Slip Regulation) System
(Option: LT1 VS Engine)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system called
ASR 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 rear wheels are spinning or
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
LOW TRAC light will come on when your ASR
system is limiting wheel spin, See “Low Traction Light”
in the Index. You may feel the system working, or you
may notice some noise, but this is normal.
The
ASR system may operate on dry roads under some
conditions, and you may notice a reduction
in
acceleration when this happens. This is normal and
doesn’t mean there’s a problem with your vehicle.
Examples of these conditions include
a hard acceleration
in a turn, or an abrupt upshift or downshift. Also, when
the compact spare tire
is on the rear axle, the ASR
system will cycle and limit acceleration for about the
first
15 seconds of driving after each engine start.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the ASR 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 “Cruise Control”
in the Index.)
ASR
OFF
When the system is on,
the ASR OFF warning
light will come on to
let you know
if there’s
a problem with your
ASR system. See
“ASR System Warning
Light’’
in the Index.
When
this warning light is on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The
ASR system automatically comes on whenever you
start your vehicle.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions,
you should always leave the system on. But
you can
turn the ASR system off if you ever need to.
(You should
turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets
stuck
in sand, mud, ice or snow. See “Rocking Your
Vehicle”
in the Index.)
To turn the system off, press the button
on the console
near the cigarette lighter.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The ASR OFF warning light will come on and stay on.
If the ASR system is limiting wheel spin when you
press the button, the system won’t turn
off right away.
It will wait until there’s
no longer a current need to limit
wheel spin.
You can turn the system
back on at any time by
pressing the button again. The
ASR OFF warning
light should go off.
If your car is equipped with P245bOZR16 tires, the
ASR system will automatically turn off at speeds above
108 mph (174 Mh). (The ASR OFF warning light
will not come
on.) When the vehicle speed drops below
103 mph (166 kmh) the system will automatically come
on again.
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when you need to.
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.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or
the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen
on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each
of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there’s no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you‘ve ever
tried
to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll understand this.
The traction
you can get in a curve depends on the
condition
of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which
the curve is banked, and your speed. While
you’re
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can
control. 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. Unless you have
ASR and the
system is on, adding the sudden acceleration can
demand too much of those places. You can lose control.
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 “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.
4-11

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 Chevrolet can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes. (See “Braking in
Emergencies” 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.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision.
If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have
avoided the object. The fact
that such emergency situations are always
possible
is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you’re driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly
easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
You can turn the steering wheel up
to 1/4 turn until the
right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn
your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
OFF ROAD RECOVE
LEFT APPROX. OUARTEATURN
edge of paved surface
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes
back into the right lane again.
A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or
a brief surrender to frustration or anger can
suddenly put the passing driver face
to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents
-- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
0 “Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides, and
to crossroads for situations that might affect your
passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever
about making a successful pass, wait
for a better time.
Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and lines.
If
you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken
center line usually indicates it’s all right to pass
(providing the road ahead
is clear). Never cross a solid
line on your side of the lane or a double solid line,
even if the road seems empty of approaching traffic.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass
while you’re awaiting
an opportunity. For one thing,
following
too closely reduces your area of vision,
especially if you’re following a larger vehicle. Also,
you won’t have adequate space if the vehicle ahead
suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable
distance.
0 When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t
get too close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane.
If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
“running start’’ that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you
to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.
0 If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to
pass you as you pull out
to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember
to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
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.)
0 Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next
vehicle.
0 Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lights are
not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
following driver to get ahead of
you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
0 If you’re being passed, make it easy for the