2012 Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - Page 278

9-4 Driving and Operating Helpful braking tips to keep in mind include: . Control of a Vehicle Braking, steering, and accelerating are important factors in helping to control a vehicle while driving. Steering Electric Power Steering If your 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 malfunction, the vehicle can be steered, but may require increased effort. If the steering wheel is turned in either direction several times until it stops, or it is held until it is stopped for an extended time, power steering assist should return shortly after a few normal steering movements. See specific vehicle steering messages under Vehicle Messages on page 5‑35. See your dealer if there is a problem. Keep enough distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. Avoid needless heavy braking. Keep pace with traffic. 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‐fourths of a second. In that time, a vehicle moving at 100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m (66 ft), which could be a lot of distance in an emergency. . . 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.