1994 CHEVROLET BLAZER wheel

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Section
Here you'll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in
varying weather conditions . We've also included many other useful tips on
driving
.
Defensive Driving ..................... ................. 4-2
DrunkenDriving ........................................... 4-2
Braking ................................................ 4-5
Steering Tips ............................................ 4-8
Control
of a Vehicle
Steering
................................................ 4-8
Passing
............................................... 4-10
Loss of Control ......................................... 4-11
Driving Guidelines
......................................... 4-12
Off-Road Driving With Your Four-wheel Vehicle
............... 4-13
DrivingatNight ........................................... 4-24
Driving
in the Rain ........................................ 4-25
Freeway Driving
........................................... 4-8
Hill and Mountain Roads
.................................... 4-30
Winter Driving
............................................ 4-32
CityDriving
.............................................. 4-27
Recreational Vehicle Towing (Four-wheel Drive Only)
........... 4-35
TowingaTrailer
........................................... 4-37
4-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in spurts - heavy
acceleration followed by heavy braking
- rather than keeping pace with
traffic. This is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard
stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy
braking. If
you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following
distances, you will eliminate a
lot of unnecessary braking. That means better
braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake normally but don’t
pump your brakes. If
you do, the pedal may get harder to push down. If
your engine stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But you will
use it when you brake. Once the power assist is used up, it may take longer
to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has an advanced electronic braking system that can help you
keep it under control. When you start your vehicle and begin to drive away,
you may hear
a momentary motor or clicking noise. This is the ABS system
testing
itself.
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet. You’re driving safely.
Suddenly
an animal jumps out in front of you.
You slam
on the brakes. Here’s what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one of the wheels is
about to stop rolling, the computer will separately work the brakes at each
front wheel and at the rear wheels. The anti-lock system can change the
brake pressure faster than any driver could. The computer
is programmed to
make the most of available tire and road conditions. You can steer around
the obstacle while braking hard.
4-6

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on wheel speed and
controls braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time
you need to get your foot up
to the brake pedal. If you get too close to the vehicle
in front of you, you
won’t have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or
stops. Always leave enough room up ahead
to stop, even though you have
anti-lock brakes.
To Use Four-wheel Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down and let anti-lock
work for
you. You may feel the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some
noise, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when you need to. With anti-lock, you
can steer and brake at
the same time. In many emergencies, steering can
help you more than even the very best braking.
4-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the system is
not functioning, you can steer but it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot
of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news happen
on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each
of us is subject to the same laws of
physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road
surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there’s
no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in
the same direction. If you’ve ever tried to steer
a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll
understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the condition of your tires
and the road surface, the angle at which the curve
is banked, and your
speed. While you’re
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then
you suddenly
accelerate. Both control systems
- steering and acceleration - have to do
their work where the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden acceleration
can demand too much
of those places. You can lose control,
What should you do
if this ever happens? Ease up on the accelerator pedal,
steer
the vehicle the way you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that
you should adjust your speed. Of
course, the posted speeds are based
on good weather and road conditions.
Under less favorable conditions you’ll want
to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a curve, do it before you
enter the curve, while your front wheels are straight ahead.
Try
to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into
the straightaway.
4-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right wheels have dropped off the edge of
a road onto the shoulder while you’re driving.
If the
level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pavement, recovery
should be fairly easy. Ease
off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in
the way, steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can turn the steering wheel up to
1/4 turn until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go straight down the
roadway.
1. Edge of Road
Surface
2. Slow Down
3. Left Approx.
Quarter Turn
4. Recover
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a two-lane highway waits
for just the right moment, accelerates, moves around
the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway is a
potentially dangerous move, since the passing vehicle occupies the same
lane as oncoming traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly put the
passing driver face to face with the worst of all traffic accidents - the
head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides, and to crossroads for
situations that might affect your passing patterns. If
you have any doubt
whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait for a better time.
4- 10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and
by
not “overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond
to your Vehicle’s three control systems.
In the braking skid your wheels aren’t rolling.
In the steering or cornering
skid, too much speed or steering
in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid too much throttle causes the
driving wheels
to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and
quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering
quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid
if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel, or other material
is on the road. For safety, you’ll want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface
with reduced traction, try your best to avoid
sudden steering, acceleration, or braking (including engine braking by
shifting to a lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues
- such as enough water, ice or packed
snow on the road to make a “mirrored surface” - and slow down when you
have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock braking system (ABS) helps avoid only the
braking skid.
Driving Guidelines
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-wheel drive
vehicles any more than low-slung sports cars are designed to perform
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.
4-12

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Off-Road 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 are 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.
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 axle. Put heavier items as far forward as you can.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on the off-road terrain
doesn’t toss things around.
4-13

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control your vehicle is
to control your speed. Here are some
things to keep
in mind. At higher speeds:
you approach things faster and you have less time to scan the terrain for
obstacles.
you have less time to react.
0 you have more vehicle bounce when you drive over obstacles.
0 you’ll need more distance for braking, especially since you’re on an
unpaved surface.
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds of terrain. You
need to be familiar with
the terrain and its many different features. Here are
some things
to consider.
Surface Conditions. Off-roading can take you over hard-packed dirt,
gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow or ice. Each of these surfaces affects
the steering, acceleration, and braking of your vehicle in different ways.
Depending upon the kind of surface
you are on, you may experience
slipping, sliding, wheel spinning, delayed acceleration, poor traction, and
longer braking distances.
Surface Obstacles. Unseen or hidden obstacles can be hazardous. A rock,
log, hole, rut, or bump can startle you
if you’re not prepared for them. Often
these obstacles are hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even the rise and fall
of
the terrain itself. Here are some things to consider:
Is the path ahead clear?
0 Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
0 Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s more discussion
of these subjects later.)
0 Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction quickly?
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.
4-15