1993 CHEVROLET BLAZER stop start

If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake normally but don’t
pump your brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to push down. If
your engine stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But you
will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is used up, it may
take longer
to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has an advanced electronic braking system that can help\
keep it
under control.
When you start your vehicle and begin to drive away, you may hear
a
momentary motor or clicking noise. This is the ABS system testing itself.
AM41 5006
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet. Y\
ou’re driving safely.
Suddenly an animal jumps out in front of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here’s what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. The computer sepa\
rately
works the brakes at each front wheel and at the rear wheels. \
The anti-lock
system can change the brake pressure faster than any driver co\
uld. The
computer is programmed to make the
most of available tire and road
conditions. You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
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Your Driving and the Road
Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and lines. If you can see a
sign up ahead that might indicate a turn
or an intersection, delay your
pass.
A broken center line usually indicates it’s all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross a solid lin\
e on your side
of the lane
or a double solid line, even if the road seems empty of
approaching traffic.
If you suspect that the driver of the vehicle you want to pass isn’t aware
of your presence, tap the horn a couple of times before passi\
ng.
Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you’re
awaiting an opportunity.
For one thing, following too closely reduces your
area
of vision, especially if you’re following a larger vehicle. Also, you
won’t have adequate space
if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops.
Keep back a reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance
to pass is coming up, start to accelerate
but stay in the right lane and don’t get too close. Time your move
so
you will be increasing speed as the time comes to move into the other
lane.
If the way is clear to pass, you will have a “running start” that
more than makes up for the distance you would lose by dropping back.
And
if something happens to cause you to cancel your pass, you need
only slow down and drop back again and wait for another opportunity.
If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait your turn. But
take care that someone isn’t trying
to pass you as you pull out to pass
the
slow vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder and check the
blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and start your
left lane
change signal before moving out of the right lane to pass. When you
are far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal and move \
back into
the right lane. (Remember that your right outside mirror is convex. The
vehicle
you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it
really is).
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads.
Reconsider before passing the next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even tho\
ugh the
brake lights are not flashing,
it may be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get ahead
of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.
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Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens whe\
n the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t ha\
ve enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying
to steer, and constantly seek an
escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive d\
rivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care suited
to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possib\
le.
The three types of skids correspond
to your vehicle’s three control systems.
In the braking skid your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering
or cornering
skid,
too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid too much throttle causes the
driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal. If your vehicle starts to slide (as when you turn
a corner on a wet, snow-
or ice-covered road), ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal as soon as you feel the vehicle start
to slide. Quickly steer
the way you want the vehicle
to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle will straighten out. As it does, straighten the front wheels.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel,
or other material
is on the road.
For safety, you’ll want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions.
It is important to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control more limit\
ed.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try your best to avoid
sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking (including engine braking by shifting
to a lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires t\
o slide. You
may not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is \
skidding. Learn to
recognize warning clues-such as enough water, ice or packed snow on the
road to make a “mirrored surface”-and slow down when you have any\

doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock braking system (ABS) helps avoid only the braking
skid. Steer the way you want
to go.
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h
Turning or driving across steep hills can be dangerous. You could
lose traction, slide sideways, and possibly roll over. You could be
seriously injured or killed. When driving up hills, always try to
go
I straight up.
Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of the hill.
Attach a flag to the vehicle to make you more visible to approaching
Sound the horn as you approach the top of hill to let opposing traffic
Use your headlights even during the day. They make you more visible to
traffic on trails
or hills.
know you’re there.
oncoming traffic.
I CAUTION
’ rf Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can cause an
1 the top of a hill, slow down and stay alert.
ccident.
There could be a drop-off, embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be seriously injured or killed.
As you near
Q: What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and I can’t
make it up the hill?
A: If this happens, there are some things you should do, and there \
are some
things you must not do. First, here’s what you should do:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it from rolling
backwards.
Also, apply the parking brake.
If your engine is still running, shift the transmission into reverse, release
the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill in reverse.
If your engine has stopped running, you’ll need to restart it. With the
brake pedal depressed and the parking brake still applied, shift the
transmission to
P (Park) (or, shift to N (Neutral) if your vehicle has a
manual transmission) and restart the engine. Then, shift
to reverse,
release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill
in reverse.
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand on the steering
wheel at the
12 o’clock position. This way, you’ll be able to tell if your
wheels are straight or turned to the left or right as you back down.
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What’s at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden creek bank or even a
river bottom with large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to keep your vehicle
headed straight down, and use a low gear. This way, engine drag can help
your brakes and they won’t have to do all the work. Descend slowly, keeping
your vehicle under control at all times.
’ [ Heavy braking when going down a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could cause
loss of control and a serious
accident. Apply the brakes lightly when descending a hill and use a
I low gear to keep vehicle speed under control. 1
Q: Are there some things I should not do when driving down a hill?
A: Yes! These are important because if you ignore them you could lose
control and have
a serious accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you &%C>Ss the incline of the
hill.
A hill that’s not too steep to drive down may be too steep to drive
across. You could roll over
if you don’t drive straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in N (Neutral), or with the clutch
pedal depressed in a manual shift. This is called “free-wheeling.” Your
brakes will have to do all the work and could overheat and fade.
Q: Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A: It’s much more likely to happen going uphill, But if it happens going
downhill, here’s what to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes. Apply the parking
Shift to P (Park) (or to Neutral with the manual transmission) and, while
Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight
brake.
still braking, restart the engine.
down.
If the engine won’t start, get out and get help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across the incline of a hill. If
this happens, you have to decide whether to try
to drive across the incline.
Here are
some things to consider:
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CAUTION I
If Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or rivers can be dangerous.
-L Underwater springs, currents under the ice, or sudden thaws can
weaken the ice. Your vehicle could fall through the ice and you and
your passengers could drown. Drive your vehicle on safe surfaces
only.
I
t
Driving In Water
Light rain causes no special off-road driving problems. But hea\
vy rain can
mean flash flooding, and flood waters demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through it. If it’s deep
enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust pipe, don’t try it\
-you
probably won’t get through. Also, water that deep can damage\
your axle and
other vehicle parts.
If the water isn’t too deep, then drive through it slowly. At fast speeds, water
splashes on your ignition system and your vehicle can stall. S\
talling can also
occur
if you get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your tailpipe is
under water, you’ll never be able to start your engine. When you go through
water, remember that when your brakes get wet,
it may take you longer to
stop.
CAUTION
C
Driving through rushing water can be dangerous. Deep water can \
sweep your vehicle downstream and you and your passengers could\

drown. If it’s only inches deep, it can still wash away the ground
from under your tires, and you could lose traction and roll t\
he vehiclc
over. Don’t drive through rushing water.
I
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the underbody\
, chassis, or
under the hood. These accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings cleaned and checked.
These substances can cause glazing and uneven braking. Check th\
e body
structure, steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust syste\
m for damage.
Also, check the fuel lines and cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due
to off-road use, Refer to
Section
7 for additional information.
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keep a cloth and some glass cleaner in your vehicle if you need to clean
your glass frequently.
Remember that your headlights light up far less of a roadway when you are
in a turn or curve.
Keep your eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly lighted objects.
Just as your headlights should be checked regularly for proper \
aim,
so should
your eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night\
blindness-the inability to see in dim light-and aren’t even aware of it.
Driving in the Rain
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Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road y\
ou can’t stop,
accelerate or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as
on dry roads. And,
if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get even
less traction.
It’s always wise to go slower and be cautious
if rain starts to fall while you
are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your reflex\
es are tuned
for driving on
dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even
if your windshield wiper
blades are in good shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see road signs
and traffic 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 from a dirty road.
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So it is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape and keep your
windshield washer tank filled. Replace your windshield wiper ins\
erts when they
show signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield,
or when strips of
rubber start to separate from the inserts,
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Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going thr\
ough 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.
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won’t work well
in a quick
stop
and may cause pulling to one side. You could lose control of
the vehicle.
After driving through
a large puddle of water or a car wash, apply
your brake pedal lightly until your brakes
work normally.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up under your tires that
they can actually ride on the water. This can happen
if the road is wet
enough and you’re going fast enough. When your vehicle is h\
ydroplaning,
it
has little or no contact with the road.
You might not be aware of hydroplaning. You could drive along for some time \
without realizing your tires aren’t in constant contact with \
the road.
You could
find out the hard way: when you have
to slow, turn, move out to pass-or if
you get hit by a gust of wind. You could suddenly find yourself out of control.
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