CHEVROLET CAVALIER 1993 1.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving
is a national
tragedy. It’s the number one contributor
to the highway death toll, claiming
thousands of victims every year.
Alcohol takes
away three things that
anyone needs to drive a vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Police records
show that half of all
motor vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol-a driver, a passenger or
someone else, such as
a pedestrian, had
been drinking. In most cases, these
deaths are
the result of someone who
was drinking and driving. Over 25,000
motor vehicle-related deaths occur each
year because
of alcohol, and thousands
of people are injured. Just
how much alcohol
is too much if a
person plans to drive? Ideally, no one
should
drink alcohol and then drive. But
if one does, then what’s “too much”? It
can be a lot
less than many might think.
Although it depends on each person and
situation, here is
some general
information
on the problem,
The Blood Alcohol Content
(BAC) of
someone who is drinking depends upon
four
things:
How much alcohol is in the drink.
The drinker’s body weight.
The amount of food that is consumed
before and during
drinking.
The length of time it has taken the
drinker to consume the alcohol. According to
the American Medical
Association,
a 180-pound (82 kg) person
who drinks three E-ounce
(355 ml)
bottles of beer in an hour will end up
with a BAC of about 0.06 percent. The
person would reach the same BAC by
drinking three 4-ounce (120 ml) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks if each
had
1% ounces (45 ml) of a liquor like
whiskey, gin or vodka.
It’s the amount of alcohol that counts,
For example, if the same person drank
three double martinis (3 ounces or
90 ml of liquor each) within an hour,
the person’s
BAC would be close to
0.12 percent. A person who consumes
food just before or during drinking will
have
a slightly lower BAC level.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Drunken Driving (CONI)
The law in most U.S. states sets the
legal
limit at a BAC of 0.10 percent. In
Canada
the limit is 0.08 percent, and in
some other countries it’s lower than
that. The BAC will be over
0.10 percent
after three to six drinks
(in one hour).
3 HOURS
Of course, as we’ve seen, it depends on
how much alcohol is
in the drinks, and
how quickly the person drinks them.
But it’s very important to keep
in mind
that the ability to drive
is affected well
below a BAC of 0.10 percent. Research
shows that the driving skills of many
I people are impaired at a BAC
approaching 0.05 percent, and that the
effects are worse at night. All drivers
are impaired at BAC levels above
0.05
percent. Statistics show that the chance
of being in an accident increases sharply
for drivers who have a BAC of
0.05
percent or above. A driver with a BAC
level of
0.06 percent (three beers in one
hour for a 180-pound or
82 kg person)
has doubled
his or her chance of having
an accident. At a BAC level of
0.10
percent, the chance of that driver having
an accident is six times greater; at
a
level of 0.15 percent, the chances are
twenty-five times greater! And, the
body takes about an hour to rid itself of
the alcohol
in one drink. No amount of
coffee or number of cold showers
will
speed that up.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine “I’ll be careful” isn’t the right answer.
What
if there’s an emergency, a need to
take sudden action, as
when a child
darts into the street?
A person with a
higher
BAC might not be able to react
quickly enough
to avoid the collision.
There’s something else about drinking
and driving
that many people don’t
know. Medical research shows that
alcohol
in a person’s system can make
crash injuries worse. That’s especially
true for brain, spinal cord and heart
injuries. That means
that if anyone who
has been drinking-driver or
passenger-is
in a crash, the chance of
being killed or permanently disabled is
higher than
if that person had not been
drinking. And we’ve already seen that the chance
of a crash itself is higher for
drinking drivers.
CAUTION I
Drinking and then driving is
very dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, and judgment
will be
affected
by even a small amount of
alcohol. You could have a
serious-or even fatal-accident
if
you drive after drinking. Please
don’t drink and drive or ride
with a
driver who has been drinking.
Ride home
in a cab; or if you’re
with a group, designate a driver
who will
not drink.
I 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
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 34 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
% 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.
Most drivers treat their brakes with
care. Some, however, overwork the
braking system with poor driving habits.
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.
Don’t “ride” the brakes by letting your
left
foot rest lightly on the brake pedal
while driving.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine “Riding” your brakes can
cause them to averheat to the
point that they won’t work well.
You
might not be able to stop your
vehicle
in time to avoid an
accident. If you “ride” your
brakes,
they will get so hot they
slow you down. Avoid “riding” the
brakes.
I
will require a lot of pedal force to
‘‘Riding” the brakes wears them
out much faster. You would neec
costly brake replacement much
sooner than normal, and it also
reduces fuel economy.
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your Chevrolet has an advanced
electronic braking system that will help
prevent skidding.
This light
on the instrument panel will
go
on when you start your vehicle.
When you start your vehicle and 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 you have your foot on the brake pedal,
this check won’t happen
until the vehicle
goes about
4 mph (6 km/h) or until you
take your foot
off the brake pedal. After an
ABS stop,
you may hear a
clicking noise the next time the vehicle
goes about
4 mph (6 km/h).
If there’s a problem
with the anti-lock
brake system, the anti-lock brake system warning light will stay on or flash.
See
the Index under Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light.
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say
the road is wet. You’re driving safely.
Suddenly an animal jumps out
in front
You slam
on the brakes. Here’s what
happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are
slowing down. The computer separately
works 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.
of you.
134

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine b~
W
P’
I
I
ou can steer around the obstacle while
raking hard.
As you brake, your
lmputer keeps receiving updates
on
thee1 speed and controls braking
ressure accordingly.
A Anti-lock doesn’t change the
L time you need to get your ht
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
morn up ahead to stop, even though ’
YOU have anti-l~~k 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 hear a clicking noise
as you accelerate after a hard stop.
Disc Brake Wear indicators
Your Chevrolet has front disc brakes and
rear drum brakes. Disc brake pads have
built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the
brake pads are worn and new pads are
needed. The sound may come and
go or
be heard all the time your vehicle is
moving (except when you are pushing
on the brake pedal firmly).
The brake wear warning
4 L sound means that sooner or
later your brakes won’t work well,
That could lead to an accident.
When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
bAUIIUN
c
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ..I
Your Driving and the Road
Disc Brake Wear lndicators
(CONT)
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could sult in costly
Some driving conditions or climates
may cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something
is wrong with your brakes.
I36
Rear Drum Brakes
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear
indicators, but
if you ever hear a rear
brake rubbing noise, have the rear brake
linings inspected. Also, the rear brake
drums should be removed and inspected
each time
the tires are removed for
rotation or changing. When you have the
front brakes replaced, have
the rear
brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced
as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does
not return to normal height, or if there
is a rapid increase in pedal travel. This
could be a sign
of brake trouble.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a moderate brake
stop, your disc brakes adjust for wear. If
you rarely make
a moderate or heavier
stop, then your brakes might not adjust
correctly.
If you drive in that way,
then-very carefully-make a few
moderate brake stops about every
1,OOO
miles (1 600 km), so your brakes will
adjust properly. If your brake pedal goes
down farther than normal, your rear
drum brakes may need adjustment.
Adjust them by backing up and
firmly
applying the brakes a few times.
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.
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because
the engine stops or the system fails to
function, you can steer but it will take
much more effort.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ..I
Your Driving and the Road
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 youT speed.
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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.
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? Let up
on the accelerator
pedal, steer the vehicle the way
you
want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn lhat
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.
When
you drive into a curve at night,
it’s harder
to see the road ahead of you
because
it bends away from the straight
beams
of your lights. This is one good
reason
to drive slower.