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:

Brake System
Visually inspect brake lines and hoses for proper hook-up, binding, leaks, cracks, chafing, etc. Inspect disc brake pads for wear and rotors for surface condition. Inspect drum brake linings/shoes for wear or cracks. Inspect other brake parts, including drums, wheel cylinders, calipers, parkin ...

Seat Adjustment
Manual Seats Warning You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a driver seat while the vehicle is moving. Adjust the driver seat only when the vehicle is not moving. To adjust the seat: Lift the bar under the front edge of the seat cushion to unlock the seat. Slide the ...

Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamp control is on the turn signal lever on the left side of the steering column. There are four positions: (Headlamps): Turns on the headlamps together with the parking lamps and instrument panel lights. (Parking Lamps): Turns on the parking lamps including all lamps, exce ...