1993 BUICK RIVIERA Owners Manual

As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could
be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an
accident. Parking on Hills
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special problems. Examples are long grades,
passing or no-passing zones,
a falling rocks area, or
winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate
action.
Winter driving can present special problems. See ,
“Winter Driving” in the Index.
Hills and mountains mean spectacular scenery. But
please be careful where you stop if you decide to look at
the view or take pictures. Look for pull-offs or parking
areas provided for scenic viewing.
Another part of this manual tells how to use your
parking brake (see “Parking Brake” in the Index). But
on a mountain or steep hill, you can do one more thing.
You can turn your front wheels to keep your vehicle
from rolling downhill or out into traffic.
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Parking Downhill
Parking Uphill
Turn your wheels to the right.
You don't have to
jam your tires against the curb, if
there is
a curb. A gentle contact is all you need.
If there is a curb, turn your wheels to the left if the curb
is at the right side of your vehicle.
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If you're going uphill on a one-way street and you're
parking on the left side, your wheels should point to the
right. If there is no curb when you're parking uphill, turn the
wheels to the right.
If there is no curb when you're parking uphill on the left
side
of a one-way street, your wheels should be turned
to the left.
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h
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
I
However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll
have
a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be very
careful.
Include
an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight,
a red cloth, and a
couple of reflective warning triangles. And,
if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items
in your vehicle.
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice \
can be even more trouble because it may offer the least
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traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s about If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
freezing (32oF; O°C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try
to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews can
get there. Y
. . ._ . . .
Whatever the condition -- smooth ice, packed, blowing or
loose snow
-- drive with caution. Accelerate gently. Try
not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too fast,
the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface under
the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make a
hard stop on a slippery road. Even though you have the
anti-lock braking system, you’ll want to begin stopping sooner than you would on
dry pavement. See “Anti-lock”
in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery
road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until
you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an otherwise
clear road, ice patches may appear
in shaded areas
where the
sun can’t reach: around clumps of trees,
behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the
surface of a curve or an overpass may remain icy
when the surrounding roads are clear.
If you see a
patch
of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it.
Try not to brake while you’re actually on the ice, and
avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
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bags, rags, floor mats -- anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You can’t see
it or
smell it,
so you might not know it was in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the ba
!
of your vehicle, especially any that is blocking
your exhaust pipe- And check ar
from time to time to be sure snow
collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This
will heir
keep CO out.
I CAUTION: (Continued)
Run your engine only
as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make
it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly.
This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlights. Let the heater run for awhile.
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