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:

Airbag System
The vehicle has the following airbags: A frontal airbag for the driver. A frontal airbag for the front outboard passenger. A knee airbag for the driver. A knee airbag for the front outboard passenger A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the driver. A seat-mounted side impact airbag fo ...

Parking
If the vehicle has a manual transmission, before getting out of the vehicle, move the shift lever into R (Reverse) if parking on a downhill slope. On a level surface or an uphill slope, use 1 (First) gear. Firmly apply the parking brake. Turn the wheels toward the curb for a downhill slope, o ...

Tire Chains
Warning Do not use tire chains. There is not enough clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle without the proper amount of clearance can cause damage to the brakes, suspension, or other vehicle parts. The area damaged by the tire chains could cause loss of control and a crash. Use another typ ...