brake GMC CANYON 2007 Owner's Guide

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. The brakes may not have time to
cool between hard stops. The 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 vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are
driving, brake normally but do not pump the
brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to
push down. If the 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 316.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system
that will help prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive
away, ABS will check itself. You may hear a
momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem
with the ABS, this
warning light will stay
on. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light
on page 186.
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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
front wheel and at both rear wheels.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.
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Remember: ABS does 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.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may
feel the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some
noise, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With ABS, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you
more than even the very best braking.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle may have a Traction Control
System (TCS) 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 reduces engine power and may
also upshift the transmission to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
The TCS button is
located on your
instrument panel.
Press this button
to turn the TCS
off and on.
When the traction control system is turned off, an
indicator light on the button will illuminate.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the
cruise control will automatically disengage.
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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.
SeeBraking on page 246. 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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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 is
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 line, even if the road
seems empty of approaching traffic.
Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you are awaiting an opportunity. For
one thing, following too closely reduces your
area of vision, especially if you are following a
larger vehicle. Also, you will not 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 do not 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 vehicles are lined up to pass a slow
vehicle, wait your turn. But take care that
someone is not trying to pass you as you pull
out to pass the slow vehicle. Remember to
glance over your shoulder and check the
blind spot.
Check your vehicle’s 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 vehicle’s inside
mirror, activate the right lane change signal and
move back into the right lane. Remember that
your vehicle’s 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.
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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.
A cornering skid is 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 will 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 reducing vehicle speed 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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Off-Road Driving
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have
four-wheel drive. Also, seeBraking on page 246
andAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS) on page 247.
If your vehicle does not have four-wheel drive,
you should not drive off-road unless you are on
a level, solid surface.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some denite hazards. The greatest of these is
the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you have left the great
North American road system behind. Traffic lanes
are not marked. Curves are not banked. There
are no road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough,
uphill, or downhill. In short, you have gone right
back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that
is why it is very important that you read this
guide. You will nd 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 the vehicle has
them, 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 inated? Are the uid levels up
where they should be? What are the local
laws that apply to off-roading where you will be
driving? If you do not 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.
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Q:What should I do if my vehicle stalls,
or is about to stall, and I cannot make it
up the hill?
A:If this happens, there are some things you
should do, and there are some things you
must not do. First, here is what youshoulddo:
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 to REVERSE (R), release the
parking brake, and slowly back down the hill
in REVERSE (R).
If your engine has stopped running, you will
need to restart it. With the brake pedal pressed
and the parking brake still applied, shift the
transmission to PARK (P), or shift to NEUTRAL
if your vehicle has a manual transmission, and
restart the engine. Then, shift to REVERSE (R),
release the parking brake, and slowly back
down the hill as straight as possible in
REVERSE (R).
As you are backing down the hill, put your left
hand on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock
position. This way, you will be able to tell ifthe wheels are straight and maneuver as
you back down. It is best that you back down
the hill with the 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.
Here are some things youmust notdo 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 pressing the clutch
if your vehicle has a manual transmission,
to rev-up the engine and regain forward
momentum. This will not 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 to REVERSE (R), 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 is
steep enough to cause you to roll over if you
turn around. If you cannot make it up the
hill, you must back straight down the hill.
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Q:Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down
the hill and decide I just cannot do it.
What should I do?
A:Set the parking brake, put the automatic
transmission in PARK (P), or the manual
transmission in FIRST (1), 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.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you will want
to consider a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to
maintain vehicle control?
What is the surface like? Smooth? Rough?
Slippery? Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts?
Logs? Boulders?
What is 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
the brakes and they will not have to do all
the work. Descend slowly, keeping your vehicle
under control at all times.
{CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade.
This could cause loss of control and a
serious accident. Apply the brakes lightly
when descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under control.
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Q:Are there some things I should not do
when driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because if you
ignore them you could lose control and
have a serious accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take
you across the incline of the hill. A hill that
is not too steep to drive down may be
too steep to drive across. You could roll over
if you do not drive straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N), or with the clutch pedal pressed
down with a manual transmission. This is called
“free-wheeling.” The brakes will have to do all
the work and could overheat and fade.
Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It is much more likely to happen going uphill. But
if it happens going downhill, here is what to do.
1. Stop your vehicle by applying the regular
brakes. Apply the parking brake.
2. Shift to PARK (P), or to NEUTRAL with the
manual transmission, and, while still braking,
restart the engine.3. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking
brake, and drive straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get out and
get help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go
across the incline of a hill. If this happens,
you have to decide whether to try to drive across
the incline. Here are some things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up or
down may be too steep to drive across. When
you go straight up or down a hill, the length
of the wheel base — the distance from
the front wheels to the rear wheels — reduces
the likelihood the vehicle will tumble end
over end. But when you drive across
an incline, the much more narrow track
width — the distance between the left and
right wheels — may not prevent the vehicle
from tilting and rolling over. Also, driving
across an incline puts more weight on
the downhill wheels. This could cause a
downhill slide or a rollover.
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