CHEVROLET TRACKER 1993 Owners Manual

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Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) You slam on the brakes. Here’s what
Your vehicle has an advanced electronic happens with
ABS.
braking system that can help you keep it A computer senses that a rear wheel is
under control. When you stag your
-
vehicle and begin to drive away, you
may hear a momentary motor or
clicking noise. The ABS motor comes
on momentarily when the vehicle
reaches
8 mph (12 km/h). This is the
ABS system testing itself.
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. slowing
down. The computer works the
brakes at the rear wheels. It is
programmed to make the most
of
available tire and road conditions.
As you brake, your computer keeps
receiving updates on rear wheel speed
and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
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A
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.
129.
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Your Driving and the Road
To Use Anti-Lock:
Use rear wheel anti-lock like regular
brakes.
You may feel the brakes vibrate,
or you may notice some noise outside
your vehicle, but this is normal. Let
anti-lock work for you, but remember:
Your front wheels can still stop rolling.
If that happens, release enough pressure
on the brakes to get the wheels rolling
again
so that you can steer.
With the four-wheel-drive option, you
won't have anti-lock braking when you
shift into four-wheel drive. But you will
have regular braking. When you shift
back into two-wheel drive, you will
have anti-lock again.
- 130
Disc Brake Wear Indicators
Your Geo has front disc and rear drum
brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear
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).
t
The brake wear warning
l sound means that sooner or
1; : your brakes won't work well.
I'hat could lead to an accident.
When you hear the brake wear
cerviced.
indicators
that make
a high-pitched
warning
sound when the brake Pads are I I warning sound, have your vehicle
I
II
IVV I IUL
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads cc
in cost'
brake rep;
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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.
~ 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.
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
1,000 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.
131
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Your Driving and the Road
II. 132
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets
into a situation that requires hard
braking.
You have the rear wheel
anti-lock braking system. Your front
wheels can stop rolling when you brake
very hard. Once they do, the vehicle
can’t 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.
So, use a “squeeze” braking technique.
This
will give you maximum braking
while maintaining steering control. You
do this by pushing on the brake pedal
with steadily increasing pressure. When
you do, you can maintain steering
control. 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 fails to
function, you can steer but
it will take
much more effort.
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
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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 apply the
brakes. Both control systems
- steering
i and braking - have to do their work where the tires
meet the road. Adding
the hard braking can demand too much
at those places.
You can lose control.
The same thing can happen if you’re
steering through a sharp curve and 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 brake or
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.
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Your Driving and the Road
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.
134
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 Geo can perform very well in
emergencies like these. First apply your brakes,
but not enough to lock your
front wheels. 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.
You
must then be prepared to steer back to
your original lane and then brake to a
controlled stop.
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Depending on your speed, this can be
rather violent for an unprepared driver.
This is one of the reasons driving
experts recommend that you use your
safety belts and keep both hands on the
steering wheel.
The fact that such emergency situations are always possible is a good reason to
practice defensive driving at all times. Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right
wheels have dropped off the edge of a
road onto the shoulder
(A) 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 (B) until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn your
steering wheel to go straight down the
roadway.
If the shoulder appears to be about four
inches
(100 mm) or more below the
pavement,
this difference can cause
problems. If there is not enough room to
pull entirely onto the shoulder and stop,
then follow the same procedures. But
if
the right front tire scrubs against the
side of the pavement, do NOT steer
more sharply. With too much steering
angle, the vehicle may jump back onto
the road with
so much steering input
that it crosses over into the oncoming
traffic before you can bring it back
under control. Instead, ease
off again on
the accelerator and steering input,
straddle the pavement once more, then
try again.
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Your Driving and the Road
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:
“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).
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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.
If you suspect that the driver of the
vehicle you want to pass isn’t aware
of your presence, tap the horn a
couple of times before passing. Or, if
your Geo has the Passing Signal
option, you can use that. See
“Passing Signal” in the Index.
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.
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.
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
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Your Driving and the Road
you just passed may seem to be
further away from
you than it really
is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle
at a time on two-lane roads.
Reconsider before passing the next
vehicle.
vehicle too rapidly. Even though the
brake lights are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy
for the following driver to get ahead
of you. Perhaps you can ease a little
to the right.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say
about what happens when the three
control systems (brakes, steering and
acceleration) don’t have enough friction
where the tires meet
the road to do what
the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep
trying to steer and constantly seek an
escape route or area of less danger.
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 Geo’s three control systems. In the
braking skid your wheels aren’t 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 (as when you turn
a corner on a wet, snow- or ice-covered
road), ease your foot off the accelerator
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