
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine -. .. ,. L .. .
lndicator Lights
lndicator lights go on when you use your turn signals, change from low beam
headlights to high beams, or when you use your hazard flashers. The next
few pages will also tell you about the indicator lights on your vehicle and
help you locate them.
Charging System Light
KO280
t
The charging system light will come on briefly when you turn on the ignition,
but the engine is not running, as a check to show you it is working. Then
it
should go out once the engine is running. If it stays on, or comes on while
you are driving, you may have a problem with the electrical c\
harging system. It could indicate that you have a loose generator drive belt, or anothe\
r
electrical problem. Have it checked right away. Driving while this light is
on
could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be certain to turn off all
your accessories, such as the radio and air conditioner.
It is on the lower
right hand side
of your standard instrument cluster.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Features & Controls
SHIFT Indicator Light
1
KO287
This light with the SHIFT symbol is on the instrument cluster of some vehicles
with manual transmissions. The
SHIFT indicator light will help you get the
best fuel economy. See “Shift Indicator Light” in this section.
Headlight High Beam Indicator Light
L
This light with the blue high beam symbol is on the instrumen\
t cluster. The
high beam indicator is on whenever you use your high beam headlights. For
more details about high beams, see “Headlight High-Low Beam \
Changer” in
this section.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Attach a flag to the vehicle to make you more visible to approaching
traffic on trails or hills.
Sound the horn as you approach the top of hill to let opposing traffic
know you’re there.
Use your headlights even during the day. They make you more v\
isible to
oncoming traffic.
* Drivilng to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can cause an
I accident. There could be a drop-off, embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be seriously injured or killed.
As you near
the
top of a hill, slow down and stay alert. I
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 rever\
se, 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 R (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.
Here are some things you must not
do if you stall, or are about to stall,
when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into N (Neutral) (or
depressing the clutch,
if you have a manual transmission) to “rev-up” the
engine and regain forward momentum. This won’t work. Your vehicle will
roll backwards very quickly and you could go out of control.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the underbodv\
. 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
the Maintenance Schedule for additional information.
Driving at Night
AN450005
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some
drivers are likely
to be impaired-by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively. Remember, this is the most dangerous time.
Don’t drink and drive (See “Drunken Driving” in the Index for more on
this problem.)
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlights
behind you.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep
more space between you and other vehicles. It’s hard to tell how fast
the vehicle ahead is going just by looking at its taillights.
@ Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights can light
up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
Night Wsion
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as we get older
these differences increase. A 50-year-old driver may require at \
least twice as
much light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night vision. For \
example,
if
you spend the day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your
eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night.
But
if you’re driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on
glare from headlights, but they also make a lot of things inv\
isible that should remain visible-such as parked cars, obstacles, pedestrians, or even trains
blocking railway crossings. You may want
to put on your sunglasses after you
have pulled into a brightly-lighted service or refreshment area. Eyes shielded
from that glare may adjust more quickly to darkness back on the road. But
be sure
to remove your sunglasses before you leave the service area.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights. It can take a second or
two, or even several seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn’t lower the high
beams, or a vehicle with misaimed headlights), slow down a li\
ttle. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching lights.
If there is a line of opposing
traffic, make occasional glances over the line of headlights to make certain
that one of the vehicles isn’t starting to move into your lane. Once you are
past the bright lights, give your eyes time to readjust before\
resuming speed.
High Beams
If the vehicle approaching you has its high beams on, signal by flicking yours
to high and then back to low beam. This is the usual signal to lower the
headlight beams.
If the other driver still doesn’t lower the beams, resist the
temptation to put your high beams on. This only makes
two half-blinded
drivers.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
On a freeway, use your high beams only in remote areas where you won’t
impair approaching drivers. In some places, like cities, using high beams is
illegal.
When you follow another vehicle on a freeway or highway, use \
low beams.
True, most vehicles now have day-night mirrors that enable the \
driver to
reduce glare. But outside mirrors are not of this type and high beams from
behind can bother the driver ahead.
A Few More Night Driving Suggestions
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle clean-i\
nside and out.
Glare at night is made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of
the glass can build up a film caused by dust. Tobacco smoke \
also makes inside glass surfaces very filmy and can be a vision hazard
if it’s left there.
Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and flash more than clean glas\
s would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly. You might even want to
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds, There just isn’\
t a hard and
fast rule about hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down \
when it is raining, and be careful.
?>me Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your headlights-not just your parking lights-to help ma\
ke you
Look for hard-to-see vehicles coming from behind. You may want to use
more visible to others.
your headlights even in daytime
if it’s raining hard.
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following distance. And \
be
especially careful when you pass another vehicle. Allow yourself\
more
clear room ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted\
by road
spray.
If the road spray is so heavy you are actually blinded, drop back.
Don’t
pass until conditions improve. Going more slowly is better than
having an accident.
Use your defogger if it helps.
0 Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)
Driving in Fog, Mist and Haze
Fog can occur with high humidity or heavy frost. It can be so mild that you
can see through it for several hundred feet (meters). Or it might be
so thick
that you can see only a few feet (meters) ahead.
It may come suddenly to
an otherwise clear road. And it can be a major hazard.
When you drive into a fog patch, your visibility will be redu\
ced quickly. The biggest dangers are striking the vehicle ahead or being struck \
by the one
behind. Try to “read” the fog density down the road.
If the vehicle ahead
starts
to become less clear or, at night, if the taillights are harder to see, the
fog is probably thickening. Slow down
to give traffic behind you a chance to
slow down. Everybody then has a better chance to avoid hitting\
the vehicle
ahead.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I. Your Driving and the Road
I-
AM459005
A patch of dense fog may extend only for a few feet (meters) or fo\
r miles
(kilometers); you can't really tell while you're in it. You can only treat the
situation with extreme care.
One common fog condition-sometimes called mist or ground fog-can
happen in weather that seems perfect, especially at night or in the early
morning in valley and low, marshy areas. You can be suddenly enveloped in
thick, wet haze that may even coat your windshield. You can o\
ften spot these
fog patches or mist layers with your headlights. But sometimes \
they can be
waiting for you as you come over a hill or dip into a shallow valley. Start
your windshield wipers and washer, to help clear accumulated ro\
ad dirt. Slow down carefully.
Tips on Driving in Fog
If you get caught in fog, turn your headlights on low beam, even in daytime.
You'll see-and be seen-better. Use your fog lights
if your vehicle has them.
Don't use your high beams. The light will bounce
off the water droplets that
make up fog and reflect back at you.
Use your defogger. In high humidity, even a light buildup of moisture on the
inside of the glass will cut down on your already limited visibility. Ru\
n your
windshield wipers and washer occasionally. Moisture can build up\
on the
outside glass, and what seems to be fog may actually be moisture on the
outside of your windshield.
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