traction control CHEVROLET IMPALA 2000 8.G Owners Manual

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2-41 Cruise Control
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, the cruise control shuts off.
CAUTION:

Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can't drive safely at a steady speed. So,
don't use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.

Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control.
Don't use cruise control on slippery roads.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system (optional) begins to limit wheel spin,
the cruise control will automatically disengage. (See ªTraction Control Systemº in the Index.)
When road conditions allow you to safely use it again,
you may turn the cruise control back on.
Setting Cruise Control
CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control switch on when
you're not using cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you don't want to. You
could be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch off until you want to use
cruise control.
1. Press the cruise control ON button on the turn signal
lever to turn it on.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press the SET button on your steering wheel and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator.
The CRUISE light on the instrument panel cluster will
come on after the cruise control has been set to the
desired speed.

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2-65 Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light (Option)
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come on
for a few seconds when you turn the ignition key to ON.
If the anti
-lock brake system warning light stays on longer
than normal after you've started your engine, turn the
ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and stays 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, the anti
-lock brake system needs service
and you don't have anti
-lock brakes. The brake pedal may
be harder to push, or it may go to the floor. It may take
longer to stop. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The anti
-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the
light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Traction Control System Warning Light
(3800 V6 Engine)
The traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:

If you turn the system off by pressing the traction
control button located on the instrument panel, a
chime will sound and the warning light will come on
and stay on. To turn the system back on, press the
button again. The warning light should go off.
(See ªTraction Control Systemº in the Index for
more information.)

If there's a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control system
will turn off and the warning light will come on. If
your brakes begin to overheat, the traction control
system will turn off and the warning light will come
on until your brakes cool down.

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2-66
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
United
States
-Standard
ClusterUnited
States-Optional
Cluster
Canada
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
It also provides an indicator of how hard your vehicle is
working. During a majority of the operation, the gage
will read 210
F (100
C) or less. If you are pulling a
load or going up hills, it is normal for the temperature to
fluctuate and approach the 250
F (122
C) mark. If the
gage reaches the 260
F (125
C) mark, it indicates that
the cooling system is working beyond its capacity.
The ªProblems on the Road,º section of this manual shows
what to do. See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.

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2-72 Modes
SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM
If this message appears
when you are driving, there
is a problem with your
traction control system and
your vehicle is in need
of service.
When this message is displayed, the system will not
limit wheel spin. The message will stay on for
60 seconds and then go out. Four chimes will also be
heard. Adjust your driving accordingly.BATTERY
When the vehicle is
started this message
will be displayed for
three seconds.
If the message is displayed when the engine is running,
you may have a problem with your charging system.
If there is a problem with the charging system, four
chimes will sound when the message comes on. The
battery display will also stay on while the key is in ON
until the engine is started.
If the message stays on after starting the engine it could
indicate a problem with the generator drive belt, or some
other charging system problem. Have it checked right
away. Driving with this message on could drain
your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with this message
displayed, it helps to turn off all your accessories, such
as the radio and the air conditioner.

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4-9
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
firmly and let anti
-lock work for you. You may feel a
slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but
this is normal.
Traction Control System (3800 V6 Engine)
Your vehicle is equipped with a Traction Control System
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 and apply the front brakes to limit wheel spin.
This light will come on
when your Traction Control
System is limiting wheel
spin. See ªTraction Control
System Active Lightº in
the Index.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
reengage the cruise control. (See ªCruise Controlº
in the Index.)
The Traction Control System operates in all transaxle
shift lever positions. But the system can upshift the
transaxle only as high as the shift lever position you've
chosen, so you should use the lower gears only when
necessary. See ªAutomatic Transaxleº in the Index.

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4-10
When the system is on, this
warning light will come
on to let you know if there's
a problem.
See ªTraction Control System Warning Lightº in the
Index. When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, you should always leave the Traction
Control System on. But you can turn the 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 ªRocking Your Vehicleº in the Index.)To turn the system on
or off, press the TRAC
OFF button on the left
side of the instrument
cluster on the
instrument panel.
When you turn the system off, a chime will sound and
the Traction Control System warning light will come on
and stay on. If the Traction Control System is limiting
wheel spin when you press the button to turn the system
off, the warning light will come on and the system will
turn off right away.
You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing
the button again. The Traction Control System warning
light should go off.

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4-11 Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have anti
-lock, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However, if you don't have anti
-lock, your
first 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 can't 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 don't have anti
-lock, use a ªsqueezeº braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. You 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 anti
-lock, it's
different: see ªAnti
-Lock Brakesº in the Index.)
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.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the ªdriver lost controlº 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.

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4-15

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.
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 ªoverdrivingº
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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4-16
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 ªmirrored surfaceº
-- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
If you have the anti
-lock braking system, remember:
It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have
anti
-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels are
no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the brakes
to get the wheels rolling again. This restores steering
control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when you
have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are rolling,
you will have steering control.
Driving at Night
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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4-27 Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and the
road, you can have a very slippery situation. You'll have a
lot less traction or ªgripº and will need to be very careful.
What's the worst time for this? ªWet ice.º Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the
least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it's about
freezing (32
F; 0
C) and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there.
Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
-- drive with caution.
Keep your traction control system on. It improves your
ability to accelerate when driving on a slippery road. Even
though your vehicle has a traction control system, you'll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to the road
conditions. See ªTraction Control Systemº in the Index.
Unless you have the anti
-lock braking system, you'll
want to brake very gently, too. (If you do have anti
-lock,
see ªAnti
-Lockº in the Index. This system improves
your vehicle's stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road.) Whether you have the anti
-lock braking
system or not, you'll want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement. Without anti
-lock brakes,
if you feel your vehicle begin to slide, let up on the
brakes a little. Push the brake pedal down steadily to get
the most traction you can.