2003 Chevrolet Cavalier Owner's Manual - Page 183

Remember: Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in front of you, you won't have time to apply your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have anti-lock brakes. If you don't have anti-lock, use a "squeeze" braking technique. This will give you maximum braking while maintaining steering control. You can do this by pushing on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure. Using Anti-Lock Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but this is normal. In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal. This will help you retain steering control. If you do have anti-lock, it's different. See "Anti-Lock Brakes." In many emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very best braking. Braking in Emergencies At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation that requires hard braking. If you have anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same time. However, if you don't have anti-lock, your first reaction - to hit the brake pedal hard and hold it down - may be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle can't respond to your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it was headed when the wheels stopped rolling. That could be off the road, into the very thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic. Enhanced Traction System (ETS) If your vehicle has the optional four-speed automatic transaxle and anti-lock brakes, it also has an Enhanced Traction System (ETS) that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery road conditions. The system operates only when the transaxle shift lever is in the REVERSE (R), THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) position and the system senses that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the system reduces engine power and may also upshift the transaxle to limit wheel spin. 4-8