1993 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN brake

Driving Guidelines (Utility Models)
This multipurpose passenger vehicle is defined as a utility vehicle in
Consumer Information Regulations issued by the National Highway \
Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the United States Department of
Transportation. Utility vehicles have higher ground clearance and\
a narrower
track to make them capable
of performing in a wide variety of off-road
applications. Specific design characteristics give them a higher center of
gravity than ordinary cars. An advantage of the higher ground clearance is a
better view
of the road allowing you to anticipate problems. They are not
designed for cornering at the same speeds as conventional 2-whe\
el drive
vehicles any more than low-slung sports cars are designed to p\
erform
satisfactorily under off-road conditions. If at
all possible, avoid sharp turns or
abrupt maneuvers.
As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate this
vehicle correctly may result in
loss of control or vehicle rollover.
OffmRoad Driving with Your Four-Wheel
Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel drive. (Also, see
“Anti-lock Brakes” in the Index.)
If your vehicle doesn’t have four-wheel drive,
you shouldn’t drive off-road unless you’re on
a level, solid surface.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have some definite hazards.
The greatest of these is the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the great North American road system behind.
Traffic lanes aren’t marked. Curves aren’t banked. There a\
re no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill
or downhill. In short, you’ve gone right
back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that’s why it’s very important
that you read this guide. You’ll find many driving tips and suggestions. These
will help make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For example, be sure to
have all necessary maintenance and service work done. Be sure you read \
all
the information about your four-wheel drive vehicle in this manual.
Is there
enough fuel?
Is the spare tire fully inflated? Are the fluid levels up where
they should be? What are the local laws that apply to off-roading where you’ll
be driving?
If you don’t know, you should check with law enforcement people
in the area. Will you be on someone’s private land?
If so, be sure to get the
necessary permission.
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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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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.
Instead, apply the regular brake
to stop the vehicle. Then apply the parking
brake. Shift into reverse, release the parking brake, and slowl\
y 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.
Shifting the transfer case to N (Neutral) can cause your vehicle to
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.
rn ‘ roll even if the transmission is in P (Park) (or, if you Rave the
I Leave the transfer case in the 2 Wheel, 4 High or 4 Low position. I
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?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs? Boulders?
Gravel?
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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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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,
AN455018
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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Your Driving and the Road
Before changing lanes, check your rearview mirrors. Then use yo\
ur turn
signal. Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over yo\
ur 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 al\
l 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
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 kmlh). 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 same 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.
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Hill and Mountain Roads
:.-. . , , . .;. . . . . . - ,. ..
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” 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 brakes 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.
I
CAUT’oN
A If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so hot that they
v- 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
assist
your brakes on a steep downhill slope.
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