Chevrolet Spark Owners Manual: Braking

Chevrolet Spark Owners Manual / Driving and Operating / Driving Information / Braking

Braking action involves perception time and reaction time. Deciding to push the brake pedal is perception time. Actually doing it is reaction time.

Average driver reaction time is about three-quarters of a second. In that time, a vehicle moving at 100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20m (66 ft), which could be a lot of distance in an emergency.

Helpful braking tips to keep in mind include:

Keep enough distance between you and the vehicle in front of you.
Avoid needless heavy braking.
Keep pace with traffic.

If the engine ever stops while the vehicle is being driven, brake normally but do not pump the brakes. Doing so could make the pedal harder to push down. If the engine stops, there will be some power brake assist but it will be used when the brake is applied.

Once the power assist is used up, it can take longer to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push.

Drunk Driving

Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a global tragedy. Warning Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment can be affec ...

Steering

Electric Power Steering The vehicle has electric power steering. It does not have power steering fluid. Regular maintenance is not required. If power steering assist is lost due to a system malfun ...

Other materials:

Engine Compartment Fuse Block
The engine compartment fuse block is on the driver side of the vehicle, near the battery. Caution Spilling liquid on any electrical component on the vehicle may damage it. Always keep the covers on any electrical component. To access the fuses, press the tab at the front of the cover, and ...

High-Beam On Light
This light comes on when the high-beam headlamps are in use. See Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on page 6-1 for more information. Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) Indicator Light This light, in the display on the top of the center stack, turns on whenever the Daytime Running Lamps are in use. Se ...

Passenger Safety Belt Reminder Light
There is a passenger safety belt reminder light near the passenger airbag status indicator. See Passenger Sensing System on page 3-25. When the vehicle is started, this light flashes and a chime may come on to remind passengers to fasten their safety belt. Then the light stays on solid until ...