brakes CHEVROLET CORVETTE 1996 4.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
Q
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BAllERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
UNLOCK El
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols
have to
do with
your lights:
SIGNALS e e
TURN
RUNNING
* 0
DAYTIME *
LAMPS -**
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some of.
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
VENTILATING FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT -,F-
TEMP -
ENGINE
BRAKE
(0)
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(a)
BRAKES
1
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE +
LIGHTER -
HORN )cr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
X

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Automatic Transmission Operation
a
R
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P): This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t 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 won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range before
starting the engine. Your Corvette has
a
brake-transmission shift interlock. You have to fully
apply your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK (P) when the ignition key is in the RUN position.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever -- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) and release the shift lever button as you
2-21

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0): This position is for
normal driving.
If you need more power for passing, and
you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (56 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE (D): This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(0).
Here are some times you might choose DRIVE (D)
instead
of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0):
0 When driving on hilly, winding roads
When going down a steep hill
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND
(2) 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.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than SECOND
(2). You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
selector lever is put in
FIRST (I), the transmission
won’t shift into first gear until the vehicle is going
slowly enough.
I 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.
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
PARK (P) to hold your vehicle in position
on a hill.
Maximum engine speed is limited to protect driveline
components from improper operation.
2-23

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shifting Into PARK (P) (Automatic
Transmission
Mode’ 0 ly)
To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down.
Pull the parking brake lever up until you can push in the
release button. Hold the release button in as you move
the brake lever all the way down.
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.
It can be dangerous to get out of yqur vehicle if
the shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even
when you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
2-29

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Windshield Washer
At the top of the turn signal lever there’s a paddle with
the word
PUSH on it. To spray washer fluid on the
windshield, just push the paddle for less than a second.
If you hold the paddle for more than a second, the
washer will spray until you release the paddle. The
wipers will clear the window and stop
or return to the
previous setting.
c
In freezing weather, don’t use your washer until
the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the windshield, blocking
your vision.
For information on the correct washer fluid mixture to
use, see “Windshield Washer Fluid” in the Index.
Cruise Control
t LU-
With cruise control, you can
maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) 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 km/h).
When you apply your brakes or push the clutch pedal,
the cruise control shuts
off.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking Brake Indicator Light
PARK
When the ignition is on, this
light will come on when
you set your parking brake.
The light will stay on if
your parking brake doesn’t
release fully.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
SERVICE
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on
for several seconds.
That’s normal.
I
This light should also come on when you turn the
ignition key to START. If it doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed
so it will be ready to remind you if the parking
brake hasn’t released fully. If
the light stays on, turn the ignition
off. Or, if the light
comes on when you’re 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’re driving, your Corvette 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.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN.
If the light doesn’t come on, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
2-79

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.
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, coordination
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
( 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.
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.
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 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’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
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 and 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.
SERVICE
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” in
the Index.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
- 4-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
and let anti-lock work for you. You may hear a motor or
clicking noid and feel the brake pedal move a little
during
a stop, but this is normal.
ABS
ACTIVE
When your anti-lock system
is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid a braking skid,
this light will come on. See
“Anti-Lock Brake System
Active Light” in the Index.
ASR (Acceleration Slip Regulation) System
Your vehicle has 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 the rear wheels
are spinning too much or are
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.
ASR
ACTIVE
This light will come on
when the ASR system is
limiting wheel spin. See
“ASR System Active Light”
in the Index. You may feel
or hear the system working,
but this is normal.
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.)
J