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.

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Steering

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Other materials:

Tires
Every new GM vehicle has high-quality tires made by a leading tire manufacturer. See the warranty manual for information regarding the tire warranty and where to get service. For additional information refer to the tire manufacturer. Warning Poorly maintained and improperly used tires are d ...

Tire Chains
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Turn and Lane-Change Signals
Move the lever all the way up or down to signal a turn. An arrow on the instrument cluster flashes in the direction of the turn or lane change. Raise or lower the lever until the arrow starts to flash to signal a lane change. Hold it there until the lane change is completed. If the lever ...