
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle. Then apply the
parking brake. Shift into reverse, release the parking brake, a\
nd slowly
back down.
Never attempt to turn around if you are about to stall when going up a
hill. If the hill is steep enough to stall your vehicle, it’s steep enough to
cause you to roll over
if you turn around. If you can’t make it up the
hill, you must back down the hill.
Q: Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the hill and decide I just
can’t
do it. What should I do?
A: Set the parking brake, put your transmission in P (Park) (or the manual
transmission in first gear), and turn
off the engine. Leave the vehicle and go
get some help. Exit on the uphill side and stay clear of the path the vehicle
would take
if it rolled downhill. Do not shift the transfer case to N (Neutral)
when you leave the vehicle. Leave it in some gear.
A
If you have a manual transfer case shift lever, shifting the \
transfer
case to
N (Neutral) can cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in
P (Park) (or, if you have the manual transmission,
even
if you’re in gear). This is because the N (Neutral) position on
the transfer case overrides the transmission.
If you are going to
leave your vehicle, set the parking brake and shift the transmission
to
P (Park) (or, put your manual transmission in first gear). But do
not shift the transfer case to the
N (Neutral) position. Leave the
transfer case in the
2 WHEEL, 4 HIGH or 4 LOW position.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you’ll want to consider a number of
things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain vehicle control?
What’s the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery? Hard-packed \
dirt?
Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs? Boulders?
What’s at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden creek bank or even a
river bottom with large rocks?
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
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.
A
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
low gear to keep vehicle speed under
1 control.
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 across the in\
cline 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.
Avoid braking so hard that you lock the wheels when going downhill. If
your front wheels are locked, you can’t steer your vehicle. \
If your wheels
lock up during downhill braking, you may feel the vehicle starting to slide
sideways.
To regain your direction, just ease off the brakes and steer to
keep the front of the vehicle pointing straight downhill.
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
brake.
Shift to P (Park) (or to N (Neutral) with the manual transmission) and,
while still braking, restart the engine.
Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight
down.
4-30
If the engine won’t start, get out and get help.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine on beaches or sand dunes) your tires will tend to sink into \
the sand. This has an effect on steering, accelerating, and braking. You may want to reduce
the air pressure in your tires slightly when driving on sand. \
This will improve
traction.
Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction. On these surfaces, it’s
very easy to lose control. On wet ice, for example, the tract\
ion
is so poor
that you will have difficulty accelerating. And
if you do get moving, poor
steering and difficult braking can cause you to slide out of control.
nds or rivers can be dangerous.
~;~:.cx :. 2’’
nderwater springs, currents under the ice, or sudden thaws can \
25
weaken the ice. Your vehicle could fall through the ice and you ad.
. your passengers could drown. Drive your vehicle on safe surface\
s
~~ : . I’ .: . :j/-
,. ,/ ., ‘!...,I:, I -
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 tailp\
ipe is
under water, you’ll never be able to start your engine. Whe\
n you go through
water, remember that when your brakes get wet,
it may take you longer to
stop.
A
Driving through rushing water can be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehilcle 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 the vehicle
over.
Don’t drive through rushing water.
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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 Your Driving and the Road
1, I
AM455009
Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going thr\
ough some car
washes can cause problems, too. The water may affect your brak\
es. Try to avoid puddles. But
if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit them.
I CAUTION I
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
I
the vehicle.
After arlvlng through a large puddle of water or a car
WE ’ , a, ~, ‘y
your brake pedal lightly until your brakes work normally.
I
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 hydroplaning, 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.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But
it can if your tires haven’t much tread
or
if the pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is
standing on the road. If you can see reflections from trees, telephone \
poles,
or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the water’s s\
urface, there could be
hydroplaning.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine to merge into the gap at close to the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn
signal, check your rearview mirrors as you move along, and glance over your
shoulder as often as necessary.
Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Driving on the Freeway
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the posted limit or to the
prevailing rate
if it’s slower. Stay in the right lane unless you want to pass. If
you are on a two-lane freeway, treat the right lane as the slow lane and the
left lane as the passing lane.
If you are on a three-lane freeway, treat the right lane as the slower-speed
through lane, the middle lane as the higher-speed through lane, and the left
lane as the passing lane.
Before changing lanes, check your rearview mirrors. Then use yo\
ur turn
signal. Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your shoulder
to
make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your “blind” spot.
If you are moving from an outside to a center lane on a freeway having
more than
two lanes, make sure another vehicle isn’t about to move into the
same spot. Look
at the vehicles two lanes over and watch for telltale signs:
turn signals flashing, an increase in speed, or moving toward the edge
of the
lane. Be prepared to delay your move.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you allow a reasonable
following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night.
Leaving the Freeway
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper lane well in
advance. Dashing across lanes at the last minute is dangerous. \
If you miss
your exit do not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. \
Drive on to the
next exit.
At each exit point is a deceleration lane. Ideally
it should be long enough for
you to enter
it at freeway speed (after signaling, of course) and then do your
braking before moving onto the exit ramp. Unfortunately, not all deceleration
lanes are long enough-some are too short for all the braking. Decide when
to start braking.
If you must brake on the through lane, and if there is traffic
close behind you, you can allow a little extra time and flash your brake lights
(in addition to your turn signal) as extra warning that you are about to slow
down and exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply. The exit\
speed
is
usually posted. Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not to
your sense of motion. After driving for any distance at higher\
speeds, you
4-43

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine . li 7. --
._ . .-
. .1 ..
Your Driving and the Road
Hill and Mountain Roads
I
AM470001
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in flat or rolling
terrain.
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.
(See "Off-Road Driving" in the Index for information about driving off-road.)
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, cooling system and transmission. These parts can \
work
hard on mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this: let
your engine do some of the slowing down. Don't make your brak\
es do
it
all. Shift to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill. That
way, you will
slow down without excessive use of your brakes.
If you don't shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they
wouldn't work well. You would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
1 assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine CAUTION
A Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with the ignition off is dangerous. I
2 Your brakes will have to do all the work of slowing down. They could
get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You could crash. Always
have your ignition on and your vehicle in gear when you go d\
ownhill.
e
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears help cool your engine and transmission, and yo\
u can climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or
mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut across the center
of the road. Drive
at speeds that let you stay in your own lane. That way, you won’t be
surprised by a vehicle coming toward you in the same lane.
It takes longer to pass another vehicle when you’re going u\
phill. You’ll
want
to leave extra room to pass. If a vehicle is passing you and
doesn’t have enough room, slow down to make
it easier for the other
vehicle to get by.
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.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special. problems.
Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a fallin\
g 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.