brake CHEVROLET ASTRO PASSENGER 1993 1.G Owner's Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
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.
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Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s e\
asy to ask more of
those control systems than the tires and road can provide. Tha\
t 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, coordinati\
on, 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 (1 00 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 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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“Riding” your brakes can cause them to overheat 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 will require a lot of pedal force to slow you down. Avoid
“riding” the brakes.
1 CAUTION
I
NOTICE
“Riding .he brakes wears them out much faster. You would need costll
brake replacement much
sooner than normal. and it also reduces fuel
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
4 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 vehicle has an advanced electronic braking system that can help you
keep
it under control. When you start your vehicle and begin to drive \
away,
you may hear a momentary motor
or clicking noise. This is the ABS system
testing itself.
AM41 501 0
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.
The computer separately works the brakes at each front wheel a\
nd
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.
You can steer around the obstacle while braking
hard.
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AM41 5020
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on wheel speed and
controls braking pressure accordingly.
CAUTION
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 Four-wheel Anti-Lock:
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down and let anti-lock work
for you. You may feel the brakes vibrate,
or you may notice some noise, but
this is normal.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake System Warning Light
Standard Cluster Digital Cluster
PO641
This light appears on your instrument cluster to warn you if your regular
braking system needs service. See “Brake System Warning Light” in the
Index.
Anti-lock Brake System Warning Light
Standard CIusfer Digital Cluster
This light appears on the instrument cluster to warn you if your anti-lock
brake system needs service. See “Anti-lock Brake System Warning Light” in
the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Disc Brake Wear Indicators
Your vehicle 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 m\
ay come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except when you are
pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
I CAUTION
A The brake wear warning sound means that sooner or later your
4 brakes won’t work well. That could lead to an accident. When you
hear the brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle serviced. \
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NCTICE
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 the 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
have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does
there
is a rapid increase in pedal travel.
trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, your you have
the front brakes replaced,
as complete axle sets.
not return to normal height, or
if
This could be a sign of brake
disc brakes adjust for wear.
If your
brake pedal goes down farther than normal, your rear drum brak\
es may need
adjustment. Adjust them by backing up and firmly applying the brakes a few
times.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
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
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 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. 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 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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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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