
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. They may cut down on glare from
headlights, but they also make a
lot of things invisible.
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.
Keep your windshield and all the glass
on your vehicle clean - inside and
out. Glare at night is made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside
of the glass can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes lights
dazzle and flash more than
clean glass would, making the pupils of your
eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlights light up far less
of a roadway when you are
in a turn or curve. Keep your eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out
dimly lighted objects. Just as your headlights should be checked regularly
for proper aim,
so should your eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers
suffer from night blindness
- the inability to see in dim light - and aren’t
even aware of it.
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road you can’t stop,
accelerate or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as
on dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get even
4 - 7.5

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
surface, there
could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There just isn’t a hard and
fast rule about hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down when it
is
raining.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlights - not just your parking lights - to
help make you more visible to others.
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.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)
City Driving
x
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the amount of traffic on
them. You’ll want to watch out for what the other drivers are doing and pay
attention to traffic signals.
Here
are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are going. Get a city map and
plan your trip into an unknown part
of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
4-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you allow a reasonable
following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night.
When you
want to leave the freeway, move to the proper lane well in
advance. If you miss your
exit do not, under any circumstances, stop and
back up. Drive on to the
next 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.
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 GM dealerships
all across North America. They’ll be ready and willing to help if you need
it.
Here are 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 inflated
to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook along your route?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Should
you delay your trip
a short time to avoid a major storm system?
4-29

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves fuel. When you run
the engine, make it go a little faster than just idle. That is, push the
accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that
you get and it keeps
the battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery (or batteries)
to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your headlights.
Let the heater run for awhile.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost all the way to
preserve the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only when you feel
really uncomfortable from the cold. But
do it as little as possible. Preserve
the fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get out of the
vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or
so until
help comes.
Recreational Vehicle To wing
(Four-wheel Drive
Only)
If your vehicle has 4-wheel drive, you may tow it behind another vehicle
providing it does
not have the optional electronic shift transfer case.
Recreational vehicle towing is not recommended for vehicles
with the optional electronic shift transfer case because the
electronic shift has no neutral position.
4-35

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg) loaded, then it needs
its own brakes
- and they must be adequate. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Your trailer brakes system can tap into vehicle’s hydraulic brake system
except:
Don’t tap into your vehicle’s brake system
if the trailer’s brake system will
use more than 0.02 cubic inch (0.3~~) of fluid from your vehicle’s master
cylinder.
If it does, both braking systems won’t work well. You could even
lose your brakes.
Will the trailer parts take
3,000 psi (20 650 kPa) of pressure? If not, the
trailer brake system must not be used with your vehicle.
If everything checks out this far, then make the brake fluid tap at the
port on
the master cylinder that sends fluid
to the rear brakes. But don’t use copper
tubing for this. If
you do, it will bend and finally break off. Use steel brake
tubing.
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.
4-40

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 Disfance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would 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 go 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 to the left, just move that 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.
4-41

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do this
so your trailer 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 to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash
for turns
even if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think
drivers behind you are seeing your signal when
they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or
steep downgrade. If you don’t
shift down, you might have to use your
brakes
so much that they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed
to around 45 mph
(70 kdh) to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If you have an automatic transmission,
you should use “D” when towing a
trailer. Operating your vehicle in “D” when towing a trailer will minimize
heat buildup and extend the
life of your transmission. Or, if you have a
manual transmission with
fifth gear, it’s better not to use fifth gear, just
drive in fourth gear (or, as
you need to, a lower gear).
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer attached, on a hill. If
something goes wrong, your rig could start to move. People can be injured,
and both your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have
to park your rig on a hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into “P” (Park) yet, or into
gear for a manual transmission.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until the
chocks absorb
the load.
4-42

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning
flashers let
you warn
others. They also let
~ police know you have
1 a problem. Your front
and rear turn signal
lights will flash
on
and off.
Press the button in to
make your front and
rear turn signal lights
flash on and
off. Your
hazard warning
flashers work no matter what position
your key is
in, and
even
if the key isn’t in.
To turn off the
flashers,
pull out on
the collar.
When the hazard
warning flashers are
on, your turn signals
won’t work.
5-2