brakes CHEVROLET ASTRO PASSENGER 1994 1.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Ensure the shift lever is fully in “P” (Park) range before starting the engine.
Your vehicle has
a brake-transmission shift interlock. You have to fully
apply your regular brakes before you can shift from “P” (Park) when the
ignition key is in the
RUN position. If you cannot shift out of “P’ (Park),
ease pressure on the shift lever
- push the shift lever all the way into
“P” (Park)
as you maintain brake application. Then move the shift lever into
the gear you wish. See “Shifting Out of ‘P’ (Park)”in this part.
R (Reverse) - Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to “R” (Reverse) while your vehicle is moving forward
could damage your transmission. Shift to
“R” (Reverse) only
after your vehicle is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow, ice or sand
without damaging your transmission, see
“If You’re Stuck: In Sand,
Mud, Ice
or Snow” in the Index.
N (Neutral) - In this position, your engine doesn’t connect with the
wheels. To restart when you’re already moving, use
“N’ (Neutral) only.
Also, use
“N” (Neutral) when your vehicle is being towed.
-
NOTICE:
Damage to your transmission caused by shifting out of “P”
(Park) or “N” (Neutral) with the engine racing isn’t covered by\

your warranty.
1
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine @ (Overdrive)
This position is for normal driving. If you need more power for
passing, and you’re:
- Going less than about 35 mph (56 kdh), push your accelerator
- Going about 35 mph (56 kdh) or more, push the accelerator pedal
pedal
about halfway down.
all the way down. You’ll shift down to the
next gear and have
more power.
@ should not be used when towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load, or
driving on steep hills. Select
“D” (Third Gear) when operating the
vehicle under any of these conditions.
0 D (Third Gear) - This is like @, but you never go into Overdrive.
You should use
“D’ (Third Gear) when towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load or driving on steep hills.
2 (Second Gear) - This position gives you more power but lower fuel
economy. You can use
“2” (Second Gear) on hills. It can help control
your speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would
also want to use your brakes off and on.
If you manually select
“2” (Second Gear), the transmission will drive
in second gear. You may use this feature for reducing torque to the rear
wheels when you are trying to start your vehicle from a stop on
slippery road surfaces.
1 (First Gear) - This position gives you even more power (but lower
fuel economy) than
“2” (Second Gear). You can use it on very steep
hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the selector lever is put in
“1” (First
Gear), the transmission won’t shift into
“1” (First Gear) until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to drive. This might
happen if you were stuck in very deep sand or mud or were up
against
a solid object. You could damage your transmission or
transfer case or both.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold your vehicle there
with only the accelerator pedal. This could overheat and damage
the transmission. Use your brakes or shift into
“P” Park to hold
your vehicle in position on
a hill.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Locking Rear Axle
If you have this feature, your 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, the
locking feature will allow the wheel with traction
to move the vehicle.
Parking Brake
To Set the Parking Brake:
I
I
Hold the regular brake
pedal down with your
right foot. Push down
the parking brake
pedal with your left
foot.
If the ignition is
on, the brake system
warning light will
come on.
To Release the Parking Brake:
Hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the
brake release lever.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause your rear brakes \
to
overheat. You may have to replace them, and you could also
damage other parts
of your vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Press the top of the switch to the first position to turn on the wiper.
0 Press the top of the switch in all the way and hold to release the desired
amount of washer fluid. The wipers will continue to work after you
release the switch.
Press the bottom of the switch (OFF) to turn the wiper off.
The rear window washer system uses the same fluid tank as the windshield
washer system.
The rear window washer system will run out
of fluid before the windshield
washer system, indicating
you need to check your fluid level and fill the
fluid tank.
Cruise Control (Option)
With Cruise Control, you can maintain a speed of about 25 mph (40 kdh)
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 kmh).
When
you apply your brakes, the Cruise Control shuts off.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 “Brake System Warning Light”
earlier in this part.
Air Bag System Light
There is an air bag
readiness light
on the
instrument panel,
which shows
AIR
BAG. The system
checks for electrical
malfunctions, and the
light tells
you if there
is a problem.
You will
see this light flash for a few seconds when you turn your ignition
to
RUN or START. Then the light should go out, which means the system is
ready.
Remember, if the air bag readiness light doesn’t come
on when you start
your vehicle, or stays
on, or comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle serviced right \
away.
Indicator Lights
Indicator lights go on when you use your turn signals, change from low
beam headlights to high beams, or when
you use your hazard flashers. The
next few pages will also tell you about the indicator lights on your vehicle
and help
you locate them.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 314 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 314 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.
4-5

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 followin\
g
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 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.
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. If one of the wheels is
about to stop rolling,
the computer will separately work 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. You can steer around
the obstacle while braking hard.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on wheel speed and
controls braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: 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.
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 is
not functioning, you can steer but it will take much more effort.
4-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. Both control systems
- steering and acceleration - have to do
their work where
the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden acceleration
can demand too much of those places. You can lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease 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 yo1 speed. Of
course, the posted speeds are based on good weather and roaa 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.
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 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.
4-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine right lane. (Remember that your right outside mirror is convex\
. The vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther 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 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 const tly 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 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, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and
quickly steer the
way you want the vehicle to go. If you start steering
quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
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 these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control more
limited.
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