brake CHEVROLET EXPRESS 2001 User Guide

2-33
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don't leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you've left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won't move, even when you're on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won't
move. See ªShifting Into PARK (P)º in the Index.
If you're pulling a trailer, see ªTowing a Trailerº in
the Index.
Locking Rear Axle (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has this feature, your locking rear axle
can give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand
or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the time,
but when one of the rear wheels has no traction and the
other does, this feature will allow the wheel with
traction to move the vehicle.
Horn
Press the horn symbol in the middle of the steering
wheel to sound the horn.

2-37 Cruise Control (Option)
+: Resume/Accelerate
| : On : Set
:Off
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. This can really help on long trips.
Cruise control does not work at speeds below
about 25 mph (40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes or move the cruise switch
to off, the cruise control will shut off.
CAUTION:

Cruise control can be dangerous where
you can't drive safely at a steady speed.
So, don't use your cruise control on
winding roads or in heavy traffic.

Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control.
Don't use cruise control on slippery roads.

2-39
Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake. This, of course, shuts off
the cruise control. But you don't need to reset it.
Once you're going about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more,
you can move the cruise control switch briefly from
on to resume/accelerate.
You'll go right back up to your chosen speed and
stay there.
If you hold the switch at resume/accelerate, the vehicle
will keep going faster until you release the switch or
apply the brake. So unless you want to go faster,
don't hold the switch at resume/accelerate.Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed:

Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher speed.
Push the button at the end of the lever, then release
the button and the accelerator pedal. You'll now
cruise at the higher speed.

Move the cruise switch from on to
resume/accelerate. Hold it there until you get up
to the speed you want, and then release the switch.
To increase your speed in very small amounts,
move the switch briefly to resume/accelerate briefly.
Each time you do this, your vehicle will go
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.

2-40
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control

Press in the button at the end of the lever until you
reach the lower speed you want, then release it.

To slow down in very small amounts, press the
button at the end of the lever briefly. Each time you
do this, you'll go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will slow
down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you may have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your speed. When going
downhill, you may have to brake or shift to a lower gear
to keep your speed down. Of course, applying the brake
takes you out of cruise control. Many drivers find this to
be too much trouble and don't use cruise control on
steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:

Step lightly on the brake pedal; or

move the cruise switch to off.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.

2-42
Headlamps On Reminder
A tone will sound when your headlamps are turned on
and your ignition is in OFF, LOCK or ACCESSORY.
If you need to use your headlamps when the ignition
switch is in OFF, LOCK or ACCESSORY, the tone
can be turned off by moving the instrument panel
brightness thumbwheel next to the exterior lamp control
all the way down.
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier
for others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully
functional daytime running lamps are required on
all vehicles first sold in Canada.The DRL system will make your headlamps come on
at a reduced brightness when the following conditions
are met:

The ignition is on,

The exterior lamp control is off, and

The parking brake is released.
When the DRL are on, only your headlamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps won't be on.
Your instrument panel won't be lit up either.
When it begins to get dark, your DRL indicator light is a
reminder to turn the headlamps on. The other lamps that
come on with your headlamps will also come on.
When you turn off the headlamps, the regular lamps will
go off, and your headlamps will change to the reduced
brightness of DRL.
To idle your vehicle with the engine on and the DRL off,
set the parking brake. The DRL will stay off until you
release the parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.

2-59 Brake System Warning Light
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will come on when you set your parking brake. The light
will stay on if your parking brake doesn't release fully.
If it stays on after your parking brake is fully released,
it means you have a brake problem.
Your vehicle's hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn't working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
United States CanadaThis light should come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key to RUN. If it doesn't come on then,
have it fixed so it will be ready to warn you if there's
a problem.
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. See ªTowing Your Vehicleº in
the Index.
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've
pulled off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.

2-60 Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will
come on when you start
your engine and may stay
on for several seconds.
That's normal.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you're driving,
your vehicle needs service. If the regular brake system
warning light isn't on, you still have brakes, but you
don't have anti
-lock brakes. If the regular brake system
warning light is also on, you don't have anti
-lock brakes
and there's a problem with your regular brakes. See
ªBrake System Warning Lightº earlier in this section.
The anti
-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the
engine coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves
into the red area your
engine is too hot!
It means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
operating conditions, you should pull off the road, stop
your vehicle, and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.

4-2
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is:
Drive defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your
vehicle: Buckle up. See ªSafety Beltsº in the Index.Defensive driving really means ªbe ready for anything.º
On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it means
ªalways expect the unexpected.º
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might
do. Be ready for their mistakes.
Rear
-end collisions are about the most preventable
of accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough
following distance. It's the best defensive driving
maneuver, in both city and rural driving. You never
know when the vehicle in front of you is going to brake
or turn suddenly.
Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate
on the driving task. Anything that distracts from the
driving task
-- such as concentrating on a cellular
telephone call, reading, or reaching for something on
the floor
-- makes proper defensive driving more
difficult and can even cause a collision, with resulting
injury. Ask a passenger to help do things like this, or
pull off the road in a safe place to do them yourself.
These simple defensive driving techniques could save
your life.

4-6
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 3/4 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 3/4 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; the condition of your brakes; the weight of the
vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.

4-7
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 Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti
-lock brake system will check itself. You may
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on. This is normal.
If there's a problem with
the anti
-lock brake system,
this warning light will stay
on. See ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº in
the Index.