2003 Pontiac Grand Prix Owner's Manual - Page 190

2003 Pontiac Grand Prix Manual

Page 190 highlights

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 4-9

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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
4-9