Braking In Emergencies; Locking Rear Axle; Stabilitrak System - Chevrolet 2004 Express Van Owner's Manual

Remember: Anti-lock does not 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 will not 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
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel
the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some noise,
but this is normal.

Braking in Emergencies

With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.

Locking Rear Axle

If your vehicle has this feature, your locking rear axle
can give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand
or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the
time, but when one of the rear wheels has no traction
and the other does, this feature will allow the wheel with
traction to move the vehicle.
4-8
®
Stabilitrak System
If your vehicle has Stabilitrak
brake, traction and stability control systems and helps
the driver maintain directional control of the vehicle
in most driving conditions.
When you first start your vehicle and begin to drive
away, the system performs several diagnostic checks to
insure there are no problems. You may hear or feel
the system working. This is normal and does not mean
there is a problem with your vehicle. The system
should initialize before the vehicle reaches 20 mph
(32 km/h). In some cases, it may take approximately
two miles of driving before the system initializes.
The following chart describes the Stabilitrak
®
Light and the Stabilitrak
®
, it combines antilock
®
Not Ready
Indicator Light.