1993 BUICK ROADMASTER brake

If your brake pedal goes down farther man normal, your
rear drum brakes may need adjustment. Adjust them by
backing
up and firmly applying the brakes a few times.
I
Braking in Emergencies I
Use your anti-lock braking sysKem when you need to. .
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.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering a ssist becau Lse
the engine
stops or the system fails to function, you can steer but
it
will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take- curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each
of us is subject to
the same laws of physics. when driviqg on curves. The
traction
of the tires agairist the road s.urface makes it
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Try to adjust‘ your speed so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out
of the curve, and then
accelerate gently
into the straightaway.
When you drive into a curve at night, it’s harder to see
the road ahead
of you because it bends away from the
straight beams
of your lights. This is one good reason. to
drive slower.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and
find a truck stopped
in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out
f-rom nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked
cars and stops right in front of you. You can
avoid these problems by braking
- if you can stop in
time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room. That’s\

the time for evasive action
- steering around the
problem.
Your Buick can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes. It is better to remove as
much speed as you can
from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem, to the left
or right depending
on the space available,

An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision.
If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o'clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
You must then be prepared to steer
back to y.our original lane and then brake
to a controlled
stop.
Depending on your speed, this can be rather violent
for
an unprepared driver. This is one of the reasons driving
experts recommend that you use your safety belts and
keep both hands on the steering wheel.
The fact that such emergency situations are .always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times.
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The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. nven if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain
,can make it harder to see road signs and traffid. signals, .
pavement markings, the edge of the road, and even
people walking. Road spray can often be worse for
vision than rain, especially if it
comes frum a dirty road.
So it is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good i.
shape and :keep your windshieklwasher tank filled.
Replace
your windshield' wiper inserts when 'they' show
signs
.of streaking-or missing areas on the windshield, or
when strips
of rubber start to separate from the inserts. Driving,
too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems,
too.
The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles.
But
if you can't, try to slow down before you hit them.
A I
,A CA JTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won't
work well in a quick stop and may cause pl ng
to one side.
Yo Zould lo! eo - *oI of -- 3
vehicle.
After driving thro
-=-- -i la.,e p-Jdle 0. ,later
a car wash, apply your brake aedal liahtly unt
1 Iur brakes work normal
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Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in
flat or rolling terrain.
' A CAUTION:
If you don't shift down, your brakes could get
o hot that they wouldn't work well. You wou.,
..len have
poor braking or even none going
. down a hill. You could crash. Shift dowr tn Ifit
,our engine assist vnur brakes on a stec,
down hill slope.
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're - - -
planning-to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your
trips safer and more enjoyable.

D.riving on Snow or Ice What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice c.an be slick and hard to drive
on, But wet
ice can be even more’trouble because it may offer
the.
leait traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when’ it’s , ’
about freezing (3ZoF..O0C) and freezing rain begins to
fail. Try to avoid driving on we1 ice until salt and sand
crews can get there.
,.
Whatever the conditio,n - 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.

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.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do
it as 'little as possible. Preserve the
fuel
as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and
do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
Towing, a Trailer
/! CAUTION-
If you don't use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you
pull a
trailer.
For example, if the trailer is too heavy,
I the brakes may not work well - or even at all,
You and your passengers could be seriously'
injured. Pull
a trailer only if you have followed
I the steps in this section.

Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the limit for
cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the Certification
label at the rear edge
of the driver’s doqr (or see “Tire
Loading” in the Index). Then be sure you don’t go over
the
GVW limit for your vehicle.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by, and rough roads are
a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
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If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will
weigh more than
2,000 pounds (900 kg), be sure to
use a properly mounted, weight-distributing hitch
and sway control of the proper size. This equipment
is very important for proper vehicle loading and
good handling when you’re driving.
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install
a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to the
bumper.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to
the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may be provided by the
hitch manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains. Always leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. And, never allow safety
chains
to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brakes
- and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly. Because you have anti-lock
brakes, do not try to tap into your vehicle’s brake
system.
If you do, both brake systems won’t work well,
or at all.
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