brakes CHEVROLET COBALT 2006 1.G Owners Manual

Automatic Transaxle Operation
If your vehicle is equipped with an automatic transaxle,
the shift lever is located on the console between
the seats.
There are several different
positions for the automatic
transaxle.
PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels. It is
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle cannot move easily.{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To
be sure your vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground, always set your
parking brake and move the shift lever to
PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P) (Automatic
Transaxle) on page 2-29. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeTowing a Trailer (Automatic
Transaxle) on page 4-39orTowing a Trailer
(Manual Transaxle) on page 4-46.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic
transaxle shift lock control system. You have to
fully apply your regular brakes before you can shift
from PARK (P) when the ignition key is in RUN.
2-23

AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):This position is for
normal driving with the automatic transaxle. If you need
more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator all the way down.
INTERMEDIATE (I):This position is also used for
normal driving. However, it offers braking from
the engine for slight downgrades where the vehicle
would otherwise accelerate due to steepness of grade.
If repetitive shifts occur between third and fourth
gears on steep uphills, this position can be used to
prevent repetitive shifting. Fuel economy will be lower
than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D). Here are some
times you might choose INTERMEDIATE (I) instead of
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.LOW (L):This position gives you even more power but
lower fuel economy than INTERMEDIATE (I). You
can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud.
If the shift lever is put in LOW (L), the transaxle will
not shift into LOW (L) until the vehicle is going slowly
enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes, or parking brake to hold the vehicle
in place.
2-25

When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake. The
light will stay on if your parking brake does not release
fully. If it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have a brake problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. Make sure the parking brake is
fully released. You may notice that the pedal is harder
to push or, the pedal may go closer to the oor. It
may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. SeeTowing Your Vehicle
on page 4-36.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident. If the light is still on after you
have pulled off the road and stopped carefully,
have the vehicle towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light
If your vehicle is equipped
with the anti-lock brake
system, the light will come
on when your engine is
started and may stay on
for several seconds.
That is normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition off, if the light comes
on when you are driving, stop as soon as possible and
turn the ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset
the system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you are driving, your vehicle needs service. If the
regular brake system warning light is not on, you still have
brakes, but you do not have anti-lock brakes. If the
regular brake system warning light is also on, you do not
have anti-lock brakes and there is a problem with your
regular brakes. SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 3-29.
The anti-lock brake system warning light will come on
briey when you turn the ignition key to RUN. This
is normal. If the light does not come on then, have it
xed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
3-30

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 are driving on snow or ice, it is
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control of
your vehicle. SeeEnhanced Traction System (ETS) on
page 4-9.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-29.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That is perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is 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 three-fourths 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.
4-6

And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement
or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is
wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of your brakes;
the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake
force applied.
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 following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not 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.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle may have the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that will
help prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has ABS,
this warning light on the
instrument panel will come
on briey when you
start your vehicle.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your ABS 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 or pulses a little. This is normal.
4-7

Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is 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 wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure faster than any
driver could. The computer is programmed to make the
most of available tire and road conditions. This can
help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard.As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
Remember: ABS not 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 will not 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 ABS.
4-8

Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel
a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise,
but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have ABS, you can steer and brake at the same
time. However, if you do not have ABS, your rst
reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard and hold it
down — may be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels can
stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle cannot respond
to your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever
direction it was headed when the wheels stopped rolling.
That could be off the road, into the very thing you were
trying to avoid, or into traffic.
If you do not have ABS, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. You can do this by pushing
on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure.In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the
brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or feel
the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal. This will help
you retain steering control. If you do have ABS, it is
different. SeeAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS) on
page 4-7.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
Your vehicle may have an Enhanced Traction System
(ETS) 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 front wheels are spinning
or beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the
system reduces engine power and may also upshift the
transaxle to limit wheel spin. You may feel or hear the
system working, but this is normal.
A LOW TRACTION message will appear on the Driver
Information Center (DIC) when the traction control
system is actively limiting wheel spin. Slippery road
conditions may exist if this message is displayed, so
adjust your driving accordingly.
4-9

Limited-Slip Differential
Your vehicle may have this feature. A limited-slip
transaxle can give you additional traction on snow, mud,
ice, sand or gravel. It works like a standard transaxle
most of the time, but when one of the front wheels loses
traction, this feature will allow the wheel with traction
to move the vehicle.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
If the engine stalls while you are driving, the power
steering assist system will continue to operate until you
are able to stop your vehicle. If you lose power steering
assist because the electric power steering system is not
functioning, you can steer, but it will take more effort.
If you turn the steering wheel in either direction several
times until it stops, or hold the steering wheel in the
stopped position for an extended amount of time, you
may notice a reduced amount of power steering
assist. The normal amount of power steering assist
should return shortly after a few normal steering
movements.
The electric power steering system does not require
regular maintenance. If you suspect steering system
problems and/or the POWER STEERING message
comes on, contact your dealer for service repairs.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-40.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here is 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 is no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you have
ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you will
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 are
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control
systems — steering and braking — have to do their
work where the tires meet the road. Unless you have
four-wheel anti-lock brakes, adding the hard braking can
demand too much of those places. You can lose control.
The same thing can happen if you are steering through a
sharp curve and 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. SeeEnhanced Traction
System (ETS) on page 4-9.
4-11

What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the brake or 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 will 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.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3.Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and nd
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 cannot; there is not room.
That is the time for evasive action — steering around the
problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes — but, unless you
have anti-lock brakes, not enough to lock your wheels.
SeeBraking on page 4-6. 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.
4-12

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 passenger side 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.
Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not ashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you are 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 us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not 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 vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
are not 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.
4-15