brake CHEVROLET TRACKER 1995 Owner's Manual

A computer senses that the rear wheels are slowing
down.
If one of the rear wheels is about to stop rolling,
the computer will work the brakes at the rear wheels. It
is programmed to make the most
of available tire and
road conditions.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on
rear wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly. Remember:
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
though
you have anti-lock brakes.
To Use Anti-Lock
Use rear-wheel anti-lock like regular brakes. You may
feel the brakes; vibrate, or you may notice some noise
outside your vehicle, but this is normal. Let anti-lock
work for
you, but remember: Your front wheels can still
stop rolling.
If that happens, release enough pressure on
the brakes to get the wheels rolling again
so that you can
steer.
With the four-wheel drive option, you won’t have
anti-lock brak.ing when
you shift into four-wheel drive.
But
you will have regular braking. When you shift back
into two-wheel drive,
you will have anti-lock again.
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Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
You have the rear-wheel anti-lock braking system. Your
front wheels can stop rolling when
you brake very hard.
Once they do, the vehicle can’t respond to your steering.
Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it was
headed when the front wheels stopped rolling. That
could be
off the road, into the very thing you were trying
to avoid, or into traffic.
So, use a “squeeze” 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. When
you do, it will help
maintain steering control.
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 “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.
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Suppose you’re 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. Adding the hard
bralung can demand too much at those places. You can
lose control.
The same thing can happen if you’re 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.
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’ll want to go slower.
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 Geo can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes, but not enough to lock
your front wheels. (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.
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.
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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.
0 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.
following driver to get ahead
of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
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 Geo’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.
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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: The rear-wheel anti-lock braking system
(RWAL) helps avoid only a rear braking skid.
In a
braking skid (where the front wheels are no longer
rolling), release enough pressure
on the brakes to get the front
wheels rolling again. This restores steering control.
Push the brake pedal down steadily when you have to
stop suddenly. As long as the front wheels are rolling,
you will have steering control.
Driving Guidelines
This multipurpose passenger vehicle is defined as a
utility vehicle
in Consumer Information Regulations
issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) of the United States
Department of Transportation, Utility vehicles have
higher ground clearance and a narrower track to make
them capable of performing in a wide variety
of off-road
applications. Specific design characteristics give them
a
higher center of gravity than ordinary cars. An
advantage
of the higher ground clearance is a better
view
of the road allowing you to anticipate problems.
They are
not designed for cornering at the same speeds
as conventional 2-wheel drive vehicles any more than
low-slung sports cars are designed
to perform
satisfactorily under off-road conditions. If at all
possible, avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
As with
other vehicles of this type, failure
to operate this vehicle
correctly may result in loss of control or vehicle
rollover.
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Off-Road Driving with Your Geo
Four-wheel Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel
drive.
Also, see “Anti-Lock Brakes” in the Index.
If your vehicle doesn’t have four-wheel drive, you
shouldn’t drive off-road unless you’re on a level, solid
surface.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have some
definite hazards. The greatest of these is the terrain
itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve
left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes aren’t
marked. Curves aren’t banked. There are no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In
short, you’ve gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that’s
why it’s very important that you read this guide. You’ll
find many driving tips and suggestions. These will help
make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance and
service work done. Check to make sure all underbody
shields (if
so equipped) are properly attached. Be sure
you read all the information about your four-wheel drive
vehicle
in this manual. Is there enough fuel? Is the spare
tire fully inflated? Are the fluid levels up where they
should be? What are the local laws that apply
to
off-roading where you’ll be driving? If you don’t know,
you should check with law enforcement people
in the
area. Will you be on someone’s private land? If
so, be
sure to get the.necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
There are some important things to remember about
how to load your vehicle.
0 The heaviest things should be on the load floor and
forward
of your rear axle. Put heavier items as far
forward as you can.
0 Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off-road terrain doesn’t toss things around.
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0 Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of the
hill.
Attach a flag to the vehicle to make you more visible
to approaching traffic on trails or hills.
0 Sound the horn as you approach the top of the hill to
let opposing traffic know you’re there.
Use your headlamps even during the day. They make
you more visible to oncoming traffic.
What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about
to stall, and
I can’t make it up the hill?
A: If this happens, there are some things you should
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do, and there are some things you must not do.
First, here’s what you
should do:
Push the brake pedal
to stop the vehicle and keep it
from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking brake.
If your engine is still running, shift the transmission
into reverse, release the parking brake, and slowly
back down the hill in reverse.
If your engine has stopped running, you’ll need to
restart it. With the brake pedal depressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK
(P) (or, shift to NEUTRAL (N) if your
vehicle has a manual transmission) and restart the
engine. Then, shift to reverse, release the parking
brake, and slowly back down the hill
as straight as
possible in reverse.
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock position. This
way, you’ll be able to tell if your wheels are straight
and maneuver as you back down. It’s best that you
back down the hill with your wheels straight rather
than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel
too far to the left or right will increase the possibility
of a rollover.
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Here are some things you must not do if you stall, or are
about
to stall, when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) (or depressing the clutch, if you
have a manual transmission) to “rev-up” the engine
and regain forward momentum. This won’t work.
Your vehicle will roll backwards very quickly and
you could go
out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle. Then
apply the parking brake. Shift into reverse, release the
parking brake, and slowly back straight down.
Never attempt to turn around if you are about to stall
when
going up a hill. If the hill is steep enough to
stall your vehicle, it’s steep enough to cause you to
roll over if you turn around. If you can’t make it up
the hill, you must back straight down the
hill.
Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the hill
and decide I just can’t do it. What should I do?
A: Set the parking brake, put your transmission in
PARK (P) (or the manual transmission in first
gear), and turn off the engine. Leave the vehicle
and go get some help. Exit on the uphill side and
stay clear
of the path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill. Do not shift the transfer case to
NEUTRAL (N) when you leave the vehicle. Leave .. it in some gear.
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Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you’ll want to
consider a number
of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain
vehicle control?
0 What’s the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
0 Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
What’s at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden
creek bank
or even a river bottom with large rocks?
If
you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to
keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a low
gear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes and
they won’t have to do all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
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&: Are there some things I should not do when
A: Yes! These are important because if you ignore
driving down a bill?
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them you could lose control and have a serious
accident.
When dr.iving downhill, avoid
turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that’s not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive across.
You could roll over if you don’t drive straight down.
Never go downhill with
the transmission in
NEUTRAL, (N), or with the clutch pedal depressed
in a manual shift. This is called “free-wheeling.‘‘
Your brakes
wjll have to do all the work and c&ld
overheat and fade.
Avoid braking
so hard that you lock the front wheels
when going downhill.
Tf your front wheels are
locked,
you can’t steer your vehicle. If your wheels
lock up during downhill braking, you may feel the
vehicle starting
to slide sideways. To regain your
direction, just ease off the
brakes and steer to keep
the front
of the vehicle pointing straight downhill.
@ Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A: It’s much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
it happens going downhill, here’s what to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.
Shift to PARK (P) (or to NEUTRAL (N) with the
manual transmission) and, while still braking, restart
the engine.
Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.
If the engine won’t start, get out and get help.
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