2004 Pontiac Vibe Owner's Manual - Page 179
2004 Pontiac Vibe Manual
Page 179 highlights
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 do not 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 not 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 do not 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 is different. See "Anti-Lock Brake System" in this section. In many emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very best braking. All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System If your vehicle has all-wheel drive (AWD), the AWD system operates automatically without any action required by the driver. If the front drive wheels begin to slip, the rear wheels will automatically begin to drive the vehicle as required. There may be a slight engagement noise during hard use but this is normal. Steering Power Steering If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but it will take much more effort. 4-9