1993 GMC SIERRA Index

Your Driving and the Road
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
There are some important things to remember about how to load your
vehicle.
The heaviest things should be on the load floor and forward of your rear
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on the off-road terrain
axle. Put heavier items as far forward as you can.
doesn’t toss things around.
CAUTION
Cargo on the load floor piled higher than the seatbacks can be
3 thrown forward during a sudden stop. You or your passengers
could be injured. Keep cargo below the top
01 le seatbacks.
- Unsecured cargo on the load floor ca- >e tossecl about when
3-7 driving over rough terrain. You or your passengers can be strum
& by flying objects. Secure the cargo properly*
Heavy loads on the roof raise the vehicle’s center of gravi\
ty.
making it more likely
to roll over. You can be seriously injured
the vehicle rolls over. Put heavy loads inside the cargo area, not
on the roof. Keep in the cargo area as far forward and
low as Dossible.
I
You’ll find other important information in this manual. See “Vehicle Loading,’’
and “Tires” in the Index.
Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going to a remote area.
Know the terrain and plan your route. You are much less likely to get bad
surprises. Get accurate maps of trails and terrain.
Try to learn of any blocked
or closed roads.
It’s also a good idea to travel with at least one other v\
ehicle. If something
happens to one of them, the other can help quickly.
Does your vehicle have a winch?
If so, be sure to read the winch
instructions. In a remote area,
a winch can be handy if you get stuck. But
you’ll want to know how to use
it properly.
Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving
It’s a good idea to practice in an area that’s safe and close to home before
you
go into the wilderness. Off-road driving does require some new and\

different driving skills. Here’s what we mean.
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Your Driving and the Road
Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s more \
discussion of
Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction quickly? these subjects later.)
When you drive over obstacles
or rough terrain, keep a firm grip on the
steering wheel. Ruts, troughs, or other surface features can jerk the wheel
out of your hands
if you’re not prepared.
When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles, your whe\
els can leave
the ground.
If this happens, even with one or two wheels, you can’t contro\
l
the vehicle as well
or at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it’s especially \
important
to avoid
sudden acceleration, sudden turns,
or sudden braking.
In a way, off-road driving requires a different kind of alertness from driving on
paved roads and highways. There are no road signs, posted spee\
d limits
or
signal lights. You have to use your own good judgment about what is safe
and what isn’t.
* Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any road. And this is I
1 certainly true for off-road driving. At the very time you need special
alertness and driving skills, your reflexes, perceptions and jud\
gment
can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You could have
a serious-or even fatal-accident
if you drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking. (See “Drunken Driving”
in the
Index.)
Driving On Off-Road Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up, down, or across a hill. Driving safely on
hills requires good judgment and an understanding of what your vehicle can
and can’t do. There are some hills that simply can’t be \
driven, no matter how
well built the vehicle.
A, Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle. If you drive up them,
- IOU will stall. If you drive down them, you can’t control your speed. If
you drive across them, you will roll over. You could be seriously
injured or killed.
If you have any doubt about the steepness, don’t
drive the hill.
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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 th\
ese 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.
I A Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or rivers can be dangerous. I
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
on
I y.
.
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.
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 vehicle
over. Don’t drive throuah rushina water. I
If you have a diesel engine, see “Driving Through Water (Diese\
l Engines)” in
the Index for more information on driving through water.
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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
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- 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.
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Your Driving and 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 surfa\
ce, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens on higher speed roads. 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.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
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Turn on your headlights-not just your parking lights-to help ma\
ke you more visible to others.
Look for hard-to-see vehicles coming from behind. You may want to use
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 be\
tter than
having an accident.
Use your defogger
if it helps.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in\
the Index.)
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As in any driving situation, keep pace with traffic and allow adequat\
e
following distances.
Hill and Mountain Roads
I r
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.
If you don’t shift down,’ your brakes could get so hot that they
- b 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. I I
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I CAUTION
A Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with the ignition off is dangerous.
E ‘ 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 engine running and your vehicle in gear when you go
downhill.
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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 uphill. 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 Driv\
ing” in the
Index.
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Parking on Hills
AM470025
Hills and mountains mean spectacular scenery. But please be car\
eful where
you stop
if you decide to look at the view or take pictures. Look for pull-offs
or parking areas provided for scenic viewing.
Another part
of this manual tells how to use your parking brake (see “Parking
Brake” in the Index). But on a mountain or steep hill, you can
do one more
thing. You can turn your front wheels to keep your vehicle from rolling
downhill or out into traffic.
Here’s how:
Downhill Parking
-_ .
AM470031
Turn your wheels to the right.
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