1994 CHEVROLET S10 Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The same thing can happen if you’re steering through a sharp curve and you
suddenly accelerate. Those two control systems
- steering and acceleration
- can overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road and make vou
lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the brake or
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.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective than braki\
ng. For
example, you come over a hill and find a truck stopped in your lane, or a car
suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked
cars and stops right in front of you.
You can avoid these problems by
braking
- if you can stop in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t
room. That’s the time for evasive action
- steering around the problem.
Your Vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply
your brakes
- but, unless you have four-wheel anti-lock, not enough to
lock your front wheels. It is better to remove as much speed as you can from
a possible collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left
or right
depending on the space available.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a quick decision.
If you
are holding the steering wheel at the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock
positions, you can turn
it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly
straighten the wheel once you have avoided the object.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The fact that such emergenoy situations are always possible is a good reason
to practice defensive driving at all times and wear safety bel\
ts properly.
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 vebcle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can turn th'e steering wheel up
to 1/4 turn until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Theq
Qgq your steering wheel to go straight down the
roadway.
1. Edge of Road
Surface
2. Slow Down
3. Left Approx.
Quarter
Turn
4. Recover

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine So here are Some tips for passing:
e
e
e
e e
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Check your rnlrro , glance over your shoulder, and start your left lane
change signal before moving out of the right lane to pass. When you
are far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your inside
mirror, activate your right lane change signal and move back i\
nto the
right lane. (Remember that your right outside mirror is convex\
. The
vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it
really is.)
Reconsider before passing the next vehicle.
brake lights are not flashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn.
ahead of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.
0 Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane \
roads.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even tho\
ugh the
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get
Loss of 0 mo/
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens whe\
n the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t ha\
ve enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and \
constantly seek
an
escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditi\
ons, and by
not “overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always p\
ossible.
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
comering force. And in the acceleration skid too much throttle causes t\
he
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.
. L.
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F. ”

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine While driving on a surrace with reaucea traction, try yo best to a td
sudden steering, acceleration, or braking (including engme braki\
ng DY
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:
If you have the four-wheel anti-lock braking system, it helps
avoid only the braking skid. The rear-wheel anti-lock braking system helps
avoid only a rear braking skid. In a braking skid (where the\
front wheels are
no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the brakes to \
get the front
wheels rolling again. This restores steering control. Push the brake pedal
down steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the front wheels
are rolling, you will have steering control.
Driving Guidelines
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
enjoy able.
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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Loading Your Vehide for Off-Road Rriving
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 cm.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on the off-road terrain
doesn’t toss things around.
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 rem\
ote 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Ge.tting Familiar with Off-Road Driving
It’s a good idea to practice in an area that’s safe and close to home befor\
e
you go into the wilderness. Off-road driving does require some new and
different driving
skills. Here’s what we mean.
Tune your senses to different kinds of signals. Your eyes, for example, need
to constantly sweep the terrain for unexpected obstacles. Your ears need to
listen for unusual tire
or engine sounds. With your arms, hands, feet, and
body you’ll need to respond to vibrations and vehicle bounce\
.
control ling^ 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 ter\
rain 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-rdad driving can take you over many different kinds of terrain. You
need to be familiar with the terrain and its many different f\
eatures. Here
are
some things to consider.
Sufface 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 tra\
ction, and
longer braking distances.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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?
Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s more \
discussion
of these subjects later.)
Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction quickly?
When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain, keep a firm g\
rip 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
control 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 \
speed 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 t\
his is
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.)
1
4-16.