CHEVROLET CAMARO 1997 4.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear
a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and
you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves a little. This
is normal.
ABS
INOP
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay
on or
flash. See “Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light” in the Index.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
than any driver could. The computer is programmed to wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
make the most
of available tire and road conditions.
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. 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.
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down and
let anti-lock work for you. You may feel
the system working, or you may notice some noise,
but this is normal.
When your anti-lock system
is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid a braking skid, this light will come on.
See “Low Traction Light” in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ASR (Acceleration Slip Regulation) System
(Option:
LTl V8 Engine)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system called
ASR that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in
slippery road conditions. The system operates only if it
senses that one or both of the rear wheels are spinning
or beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the
system works the rear brakes and reduces engine power
(by closing the throttle and managing engine spark)
to
limit wheel spin.
This light will come on
when your ASR system is
limiting wheel spin. See
“Low Traction Light” in
the Index. You may feel or
hear the system working,
but this is normal.
LOW TRAC
Examples of these conditions include a hard acceleration
in a turn, or an abrupt upshift or downshift. Also, when
the compact spare tire is on the rear axle, the ASR
system will cycle and limit acceleration for about the
first
15 seconds of driving after each engine start.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the ASR
system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise control
will automatically disengage. When road conditions
allow you
to safely use it again, you may re-engage
the cruise control. (See “Cruise Control”
in the Index.)
ASR
OFF
When the system is on,
this warning light will
come on
to let you know
if there’s a problem with
your ASR system. See
“ASR System Warning
Light” in the Index.
The
ASR system may operate on dry roads under some
conditions, and you may notice a reduction in
acceleration when this happens. This is normal and
doesn’t mean there’s a problem with your vehicle. When
this warning light is on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The ASR system automatically comes on whenever you
start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin, especially in
slippery road conditions,
you should always leave the
system on. But you can turn the ASR system off if
you
ever need to. (You should turn the system off if your
vehicle ever gets stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow. See
“Rocking Your Vehicle” in the Index.)
To turn the system off, press
the switch
on the instrument
panel. The light on the
switch will
go out. The
ASR system warning light will come on and stay
on. If the
ASR system is limiting wheel spin when you
press the switch, the warning light will come
on -- but
the system won’t turn off right away. It will wait until
there’s no longer a current need
to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing
the switch again. The ASR system warning light should
go off and the light on the switch will come on.
If your car is equipped with P245/5OZR16 tires, the
ASR system will automatically turn off at speeds above
108 mph
(174 kmh). (The ASR system warning light
will not come
on.) When the vehicle speed drops below
103 mph (166 kmh) the system will automatically come
on again.
Braking in Emergencies
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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. Unless you
have
ASR and the system is on, 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 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.
4-11

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 Chevrolet can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes. (See “Braking in
Emergencies” earlier
in this section.) 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.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason
to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Off-Road Recovery Passing
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 one-quarter turn
until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then
turn your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
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:
0 “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.
0 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). Never cross a
solid line
on your side of the lane or a double solid

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine line, even if the road seems empty of approaching
traffic.
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.
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 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 lamps 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.
4-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 Chevrolet’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
is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the ASR system, remember: It helps avoid
only the acceleration skid. If
you do not have
ASR, or if the system is off, then an
acceleration skid is also 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.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a “mirrored surface” -- and slow down
when
you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid
only the braking skid.
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Here
are some tips on night driving.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0 Drive defensively.
Don't drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you can't see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you
and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you're tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired
-- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
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