brakes CHEVROLET ASTRO PASSENGER 1993 1.G User Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective than braki\
ng. 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 proble\
m.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your
brakes.
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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
0
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 c\
onvex. The
vehicle 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.
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.
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.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens whe\
n the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t ha\
ve 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 possib\
le.
The three types
of skids correspond to your vehicle’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 foo\
t
off the
accelerator pedal
as soon as you feel the vehicle start to slide. Quickly steer
the way you want the vehicle
to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle will straighten out.
As it does, straighten the front wheels.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel, or other material
is on the road. For safety, you’ll want
to slow down and adjust your driving to
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I
AM455019
Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going thr\
ough some car
washes can cause problems
too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to
avoid puddles. But if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit them.
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won’t work well in a quick
stop and may cause pulling
to one side. You could lose control of
the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or a car wash, apply
your brake pedal lightly until your brakes work normally.
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Hydropraning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up under your tires that
they can actually ride on the water. This can happen
if the road is wet
enough and you’re going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning, it
has
little or no contact with the road.
You might not be aware of hydroplaning. You could drive along for some time
without realizing your tires aren’t in constant contact with the road. You could
find out the hard way: when you have
to slow, turn, move out to pass-or if
you get hit by a gust of wind. You could suddenly find yourself out of control.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But
it can if your tires haven’t much tread
or
if the pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is
standing on the road. If you can see reflections from trees, \
telephone poles,
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hill and Mountain Roads
AM470001
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in flat or rolling
terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're planning to visit
there, here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyab\
le.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, cooling system and transmission. These parts can \
work
hard on mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this:
Let your engine
do some of the slowing down. Don't make your brakes
do it all. Shift
to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill.
That way, you will
slow down without excessive use of your brakes.
* If you don't shift down, your brakes could get so hot that they
L b wouldn't work well. You would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
I
CAUTION 1
A
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with the ignition off is dangerous.
Your brakes
will have to do all the work of slowing down. They could
get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You could crash. Always
have vour ignition on and vour vehicle in aear when you go downhill.
--
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears help cool your engine and transmission, and you can
climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or
mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut across the center of the\
road. Drive
at speeds that let you stay in your own lane. That way, you won’t be
surprised by a vehicle coming toward you in the same lane.
It takes longer to pass another vehicle when you’re going uphill. You’ll
want to leave extra room to pass.
If a vehicle is passing you and
doesn’t have enough room, slow down to make it easier for the other
vehicle to get by.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be something in
your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special problems.
Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a fallin\
g rocks
area, or winding roads. Be alert
to these and take appropriate action.
Winter driving can present special problems. See “Winter Driv\
ing” ,,in the
Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine .. .
AN48001 9
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold \
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice can be even more trouble \
because it may
offer the least traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s about freezing
(32°F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice
until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition-smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow-drive
with caution. Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile \
traction.
If you
accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the\
surface under
the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make a hard stop on \
a slippery
road. Even though you have the anti-lock braking system, you’\
ll want to begin
stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See “Anti-lo\
ck” in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until you hi\
t a spot
that’s covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice pa\
tches may
appear in shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surface\

of a
curve or an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding roads\
are
clear.
If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are o\
n
it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that yo\
u get and it keeps
the battery charged. You
will need a well-charged battery to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your headligh\
ts. Let the heater run for awhile.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost all the way to
preserve the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only\
when you feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But
do it as little as possible. Preserve
the fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you ca
vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half
comes.
If You’re Stuck in Deep Snow
This manual explains how to get the vehicle out of deep
damaging it. See “Rocking Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Towing a mailer
In get out of the
hour or
so until
snow without help
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive properly you \
can
lose control when you pull a trailer.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy the brakes may not work well-or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously injured. Pull a trailer only
if you have
followed all the steps in this section.
I
NOTICE
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your vehicle and result\
in costly
advice in this section.
pairs not covered
our
\a/arran+y. To pull a r correct‘ fnllow the
Every vehicle is reaay ior some trailer towing.
If it was built with trailering
options, as many are, it’s ready for heavier trailers. But \
trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means chan\
ges in handling,
durability, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In
it are many time-tested, important
trailering tips and safety rules. Many
of these are important for your safety
and that of your passengers.
So please read this section carefully before you
pull a trailer.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks
going by, and rough roads are a few reasons why you’ll need the righ\
t hitch.
Here are some rules to follow:
a
a
a
If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will weigh more than 2,000
pounds (900 kg), be sure to use a properly mounted weight-distributing
hitch and sway control of the proper size. This equipment is very
important for proper vehicle loading and good handling when you\
’re
driving.
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your vehicle when you
install a trailer hitch?
If you do, then be sure to seal the holes later
when you remove the hitch.
If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your vehicle (see “Carbon
Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt and water can too.
Don’t let the steel in a hitch contact the aluminum on you\
r bumper.
If
you do, the two will corrode. You can use something like paint or plastic
tape to separate the steel and aluminum. The same steel to aluminum
problem can happen with fasteners too.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle and your trail\
er. Cross
the safety chains under the tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue will not
drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions about
safety chains may be provided by the hitch manufacturer
or by the trailer
manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for atta\
ching safety
chains. Always leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. And,
never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs
its own brakes-and
Be sure to read and more than
1,000 pounds (450 kg) loaded, then
it needs
they must be adequate.
follow the instructions for the trailer brakes to install,
adjust and maintain them properly.
Don’t tap into your vehicle’s brake system
if the trailer’s brake system will use
more than
0.02 cubic inch (0.3~~) of fluid from your vehicle’s master cylinder.
If it does, both braking systems won’t work well. You could even \
lose your
brakes.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Will the trailer brake parts take 3,000 psi (20 650 kPa) of pressure? If
not, the trailer brake system must not be used with your vehi\
cle.
if everything checks out this far, then make the brake fluid tap at the
port on the master cylinder that sends fluid to the rear brak\
es. But don’t use copper tubing for this.
If you do, it will bend and finally break off.
Use steel brake tubing.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you’ll want to get to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with
the feel of handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer. And
always keep in mind that the vehicle you are driving is now a good deal
longer and not nearly
so responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety \
chains, electrical
connector, lights, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has electric brakes,
start your vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the trail\
er brake controller
by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
If you have a rear-most window open and you pull a trailer with your
vehicle, carbon monoxide (CO) could come into your vehicle. You
can’t see or smell CO. It can cause unconsciousness or death (see
“Engine Exhaust” in the Index).
To maximize your safety when towing
a trailer:
Have your exhaust system inspected for leaks and make
Keep the rear-most windows closed.
If exhaust does come into your vehicle through a window in the
rear, or another opening, drive with your front, main heating \
or
cooling system
on and with the fan on any speed. This will
bring fresh, outside air into your vehicle.
Do not use MAX NC
because it only recirculates the air inside your vehicle. See
“Comfort Controls” in the Index.
necessary repairs before starting
on your trip.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure, and
that the lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you w\
ould when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoi\
d situations that require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re to\
wing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll need
to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer to the left, just move your hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right. Always back up slowly and\
, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than n\
ormal. Do this so
your trailer wheels won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road \
signs, trees, or
other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument \
panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,\
the trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes,
or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument pan\
el will flash for
turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think \
drivers behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. \
It’s important to
check occasionally
to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or
steep downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed to \
around
45 mph
(70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
You should use
D (or as you need to, a lower gear) when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in
D when towing a trailer will minimize heat buildup
and extend the life
of your transmission.
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