
Your Driving and the Road
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.
Driving at Night
I
--.
-
- AM450002 I
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 rear view mirror to reduce the glare from headlights
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep
behind
you.
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.
4-36
ProCarManuals.com

Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights ca\
n light
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
up only
so much road ahead.
Night Vision
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. Th\
ey 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 e\
ven 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 t\
he 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 little. 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.
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.
4-37
ProCarManuals.com

Your Driving and the Road
driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the left
lane on a freeway as a passing lane.
Entering the Freeway
At the entrance there is usually a ramp that leads to the freewa\
y. If you have
a clear view of the freeway as you drive along the entrance ramp, you
should begin to check traffic.
Try to determine where you expect to blend
with the flow.
If traffic is light, you may have no problem. But if it is heavy,
find a gap as you move along the entering lane and time your approach. T\
ry
to merge into the gap at close to the prevailing speed. Switc\
h on your turn signal, check your rearview mirrors as you move along, and gla\
nce 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 unle\
ss 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 fr\
eeway, treat the
right lane as the slower-speed through lane, the middle lane a\
s the
higher-speed through lane, and the left lane as the passing la\
ne.
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 yo\
ur
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
444
ProCarManuals.com

‘
Your Driving and the Road
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook along your route?
Should -you delay your trip a short time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps? . .. .. . -1 .. On fhe 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 no\
t 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 zone\
s, vehicles
turning’ left and right
off the road, pedestrians, cyclists, parked vehicles, and
even animals.
Highway Hypnosis
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 sam\
e 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.
-
,x ! - : ,-.:.&---z-.- ..* .-7
0 d
Wear good sunglasses in bright light. Glare can cause drowsiness. But
don’t wear sunglasses at night. They will drastically reduce \
your overall
-%
vision at the very time you need all the s.eeing power you h\
ave.
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.
4-46
ProCarManuals.com

Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you’ll want to get to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with
the feel of handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer. And
always keep in mind that the vehicle you are driving is now a good deal
longer and not nearly
so responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety \
chains, electrical
connector, lights, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has electric brakes,
start your vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the trailer brake controller
by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure, and
that the lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you w\
ould when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoid situations \
that
require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll need to g\
o much farther beyond the passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer left, just move your hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the right,
move your hand to the right. Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have
someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do this so
your trailer wheels won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs\
, trees, or
other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument \
panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer
lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about t\
o turn, change lanes,
or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument pan\
el will flash for
turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think
4-59
ProCarManuals.com

Appearance Care Materials
PART
NUMBER SIZE
1050172 16 oz.
(0.473L)
1050173 16
oz.
(0.473L)
1050174
16 oz.
(0.473L)
1050214 32
oz.
I050729 8 oz.
(0.237L)
1051055 16
oz.
(0.473L)
1051398
8 oz.
(0.237L)
1052870 16
oz.
DESCRIPTION
Tire Cleaner Cleans white and black tires White Sidewall chrome and stainless steel and Polish Removes rust and corrosion on Chrome Cleaner
and road oil Oil Remover
Removes old waxes, polishes, tar
Tar and
Road
USAGE
VinyVLeather Spot and stain removal on leather
Cleaner or vinyl
Fabric Cleaner Spot and stain removal
on cloth
Glass Cleaner Glass cleaning and spot cleaning
Multi-Purpose Cleans vinyl and cloth on door trim,
Powder Cleaner seats, and carpet-also tires and mats
Vinyl Top Cleaning
of vinyl tops
Cleaner
Preservatone Vinyl
top dressing
Spot Lifter Spot and stain removal on cloth
Wash-Wax Exterior wash
and fabric
on vinyls
and fabric
Magic Mirror polish
Cleaner-Polish Exterior cleaner and
TO077
6-9
1
ProCarManuals.com