brake CHEVROLET BLAZER 1993 Owner's Manual

Pavement Markings
NO PASSING ZONE
AM40201 6
Pavement markings add to traffic signs and signals. They give information to
drivers without taking attention from the roadway. A solid yell\
ow line on your
side of the road or lane means “don’t cross.”
Your Own Signals
Drivers signal to others, too. It’s not only more polite, it’s safer, to let other
drivers know what you are doing. And in some places the law requires driver
signals.
Turn and lane change signals: Always signal when you plan to turn or
change lanes.
If necessary, you can use hand signals out the window: Left arm straight out
for
a left turn, down for slow or about-to-stop, and up for a right\
turn.
Slowing down: If time allows, tap the brake pedal once or twice in advance
of slowing or stopping. This warns the driver behind you.
Disabled: Your four-way flashers signal that your vehicle is disabled or \
is a
hazard. See “Hazard Warning Flasher” in the Index.
Traffic Officer
The traffic police officer is also a source of important information. The officer’s
signals govern, no matter what the traffic lights or other signs say. \
The next part discusses some of the road conditions you may e\
ncounter.
4-8

Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive defens\
ively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your vehicle: Buckle up.
(See ‘Safety Belts”
in the Index.)
Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.” On\
city streets, rural
roads, or freeways,
it means “always expect the unexpected,”
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be careless and make
mistakes. Anticipate what they might
do. Be ready for their mistakes.
Expect children to dash out from behind parked cars, often followed
by other
children. Expect occupants in parked cars to open doors into traffic. Watch
for
movement in parked cars-someone may be about to open a door.
Expect other drivers to run stop signs when you are on a through street. Be
ready
to brake if necessary as you go through intersections. You may not
have to use the brake, but
if you do, you will be ready.
If you’re driving through a shopping center parking lot where there are
well-marked lanes, directional arrows, and designated parking are\
as, expect some drivers to ignore all these markings and dash straight toward one part
of the lot.
Pedestrians can be careless. Watch for them. In general, you must give way
to pedestrians even
if you know you have the right of way.
Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable
of accidents. Yet they are
common. Allow enough following distance. It’s the best defens\
ive 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.
Here’s a final bit of information about defensive driving. The most dangerous
time for driving in the
US. is very early on Sunday morning. In fact, GM
Research studies show that the most and the least dangerous times for
driving, every week, fall on the same day. That day is Sunday. The most
dangerous time is Sunday
3 a,m. to 4 a.m. The safest time is Sunday from
10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Driving the same distance on a Sunday at 3 a.m. isn’t
just
a little more dangerous than it is at 10 a.m. It’s about 134 times more
dangerous.
That leads to the next part.
4-9

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.
I
AM409006
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. 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 thre\
e 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 314
of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 kmlh) 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.
4-1 3

Your Driving and the Road
Most drivers treat their brakes with care. Some, however, overw\
ork 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.
AM410001
“Riding” your brakes can cause them to overheat to the p\
oint that
h 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.
‘Riding” the brakes wears them
out much faster. You would need costly
wake replacement much sooner than normal, and it also reduces fuel
mnomy.
NOTICE
If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following d\
istances, you
will eliminate a
lot of unnecessary braking. That means better braking and
longer brake life.
4-1 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\
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 5006
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet. Y\
ou’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 sepa\
rately
works the brakes at each front wheel and at the rear wheels. \
The anti-lock
system can change the brake pressure faster than any driver co\
uld. The
computer is programmed to make the
most of available tire and road
conditions. You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
4-1 5

Your Driving and fhe Road
AM41501 6
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on wheel speed and
controls braking pressure accordingly.
CAUTION I
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
I though you have anti-lock brakes. I
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.
4-1 6

Brake System Warning Light
K2325
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.
Disc Brake Wear lndicators
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 may come and go or be heard all the time your veh\
icle is moving
(except when you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
I
CAUTION
The brake wear warning sound means that sooner or later your \
your
brakes won’t work well. That could lead to an accident. When you
hear the brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle serviced. \
I
NOTICE
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads could result in costly brakt
repair.
ome 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.
4-1 7

Your Driving and the Road
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 lining inspected.\

Also, the rear
brake drums should be removed and inspected each time the tire\
s are removed for rotation or changing. When you have the front brak\
es 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 brake stop, your 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.
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, steerin\
g 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 n\
ews 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.
4-1 8

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-ca\
n
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 accel\
erator peaal,
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.
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
4-1 9

Your Driving and the Road
wheel once you have avoided the object. You must then be prep\
ared to steer
back to your original lane and then brake to a controlled stop.
Depending on your speed, this can be rather violent for an un\
prepared driver.
This is one
of the reasons driving experts recommend that you use your
safety belts and keep both hands on the steering wheel.
-
K2218
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 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 until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go straight down the
roadway.
4-20