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
..
C. .-, - ._ .
may tend to think you are going slower than you actually are.\
For example,
40 mph (65 km/h) might seem like only 20 mph (30 km/h). Obviously, this
could lead to serious trouble on a ramp designed for
20 mph (30 km/h)!
Driving a Long Distance
Although most long trips today are made on freeways, there are\
still many
made on regular highways.
Long-distance driving on freeways and regular highways is the s\
ame in some
ways. The trip has to be planned and the vehicle prepared, yo\
u drive at
higher-than-city speeds, and there are longer turns behind the \
wheel. You’ll
enjoy your trip more if you and your vehicle are in good shape. Here are
some tips for a successful long trip.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you must start when you’re
not fresh-such as after a day’s work-don’t plan to make too many miles
that first part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you can
easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it serviced and maintained,
it’s ready to go.
If it needs service, have it done before starting out. Of
course, you’ll find experienced and able service experts in \
your vehicle’s
dealerships all across North America. They’ll be ready and w\
illing to help
if
YOU
Her1
0
need it.
ire
Some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:
Is the reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all levels?
Lights: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe, trouble-free trip.\
Is the tread
good enough for long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflat\
ed to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook along your rout\
e? Should you delay your trip
a short time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps:
Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-44
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine On the Road
Unless you are the only driver, it is good to share the driving task with
others. Limit turns behind the wheel to about
100 miles (160 km) or two
hours at a sitting. Then, either change drivers or stop for s\
ome refreshment
like coffee, tea or soft drinks and some limbering up. But
do stop and move
around. Eat lightly along the way. Heavier meals tend to make some people
sleepy.
On two-lane highways or undivided multilane highways that
do not have
controlled access, you’ll want to watch for some situations not usually found
on freeways. Examples are: stop signs and signals, shopping cen\
ters with
direct access to the highway, no passing zones and school zones, vehicles
turning left and right
off the road, pedestrians, cyclists, parked vehicles, and
even animals.
Highway Hypnosrs
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis?” Or \
is it just plain
falling asleep at the wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with the same scenery,
along with the hum of the tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the
rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’\
t let it
happen to you!
If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less than a
second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can you
do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can
happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably \
cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. \
Check
your rearview mirrors frequently and your instruments from time \
to time.
This can help you avoid a fixed stare.
Wear good sunglasses in bright light. Glare can cause drowsines\
s. But don’t wear sunglasses at night. They will drastically reduce \
your overall
vision at the very time you need all the seeing power you have.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area
and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
As in any driving situation, keep pace with traffic and allow adequat\
e
following distances.
4-45
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re pulling a \
trailer. See
the Maintenance Schedule for more on this. Things that are esp\
ecially important in trailer operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t ove\
rfill),
engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system, and brake adj\
ustment. Each of
these is covered in this manual, and the Index will help you find them
quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these sections before
you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Trailer Light Wiring
See “Trailer Wiring Harness” in the Index.
Power Winches
If you wish to use a power winch on your vehicle, only use it when your
vehicle is stationary or anchored.
NOTICE
Use the regular brakes, set the parking brake Or UIWK ihe wheels IW keep
your vehicle from rolling.
4-62
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Prob/ems on the Road
Good Battery (-) Heavy Metal Engine Part
r“ 1 -L
L
PO1 67
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run the engine fo\
r
awhile.
11. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably needs service.
12. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent electrical shorting. Take
care that they don’t touch each other or any other metal.
5-6
I !
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing service tow your vehicle.
They can provide the right equipment and know how to tow it without
damage.
If your vehicle has been changed since it was factory-new, by adding things
like fog lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, th\
ese things could
be damaged during towing.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, or that it has the fo\
ur-wheel drive
0 The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can move the shift lever for the transmission and \
shift the
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
option.
transfer case,
if you have one.
I CAUTION
To help avoid injury to you or others:
A * Never let passengers ride ‘in a vehicle that is being towed.
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
0 Never tow with damaged pads not fully secured.
Never get under your vehide after it has been lifted by the tow
. 0 Always use separate safety chains on each side when towing a
truck.
vehicle.
Never use “J” hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
5-7
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine , vr
KO51 9
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key off. The steering
wheel should be clamped in a straight-ahead position with a clamping device
designed for a towing service. Do not use the vehicle's steeri\
ng column
lock for this. The transmission (either automatic or manual) should\
be in
N (Neutral) and the transfer case (either manual shift or elec\
tronic shift), if
you have one, should be in 2 WHEEL (two-wheel drive). The parking brake
should be released.
Don't have your vehicle towed on the rear (drive) wheels, un\
less you have
to,
If the vehicle must be towed on the rear wheels, don't go more than 35 mph
(56 km/h) or farther than 50 miles (80 km) or your transmission will be
damaged.
If these limits must be exceeded, then the rear drive wheels have\
to be supported on a dolly.
If your vehicle has the four-wheel-drive option, a dolly
MUST be used under
the rear wheels when towing from the front.
5-8
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Problems on the Road
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine:
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no steam, the problem may
not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can get a little
too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam, try this for a minute
or so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
2. Turn your heater to full hot at the highest fan speed and open the
3. If you're in a traffic jam, shift to N (Neutral).
window as necessary.
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can drive. Just to
be safe,
drive slower for about ten minutes. If the warning doesn't com\
e back on, you
can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your vehicle \
right away.
If there's still no sign of steam, push the accelerator until the engine speed is
about twice as fast as normal idle speed. Bring the engine sp\
eed back to
normal idle speed after
two or three minutes. Now see if the warning stops.
But then,
if you still have the warning, TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND GET
EVERYONE
OUT OF THE VEHICLE until it cools down.
You may decide
not to lift the hood but to get service help right away.
KO71 5
5-1 0
I