Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Stalling on an Incline
If your vehicle stalls when you’re crossing an incline, be sure you (and your
passengers) get out on the uphill side, even
if the door there is harder to
open.
If you get out on the downhill side and the vehicle starts to roll over,
you’ll be right in its path.
If you have to walk down the slope, stay out of the path the vehicle will take
if it does roll over.
Driving In Mud, Sand, Snow, Or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wheels won’t get good traction.
You can’t accelerate as quickly, turning is more difficult, and you’ll need
longer braking distances.
It’s best to use a low gear when you’re
in mud - the deeper the mud, the
lower the gear. In really deep mud, the idea is to keep your vehicle moving
so you don’t get stuck.
When you drive on sand, you’ll sense a change in wheel traction. But it will
depend upon how loosely packed the sand is. On loosely packed sand (as on
beaches
or sand dunes) your tires will tend to sink into the sand. This 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction. On th\
ese surfaces,
it’s very easy to lase control. On wet ice, for example, the traction 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.
Driving In Water
Light rain causes no special off-road driving problems. But heavy rain can\
mean flash flooding, and flood waters demand extreme caution.
Find out haw 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 tailpipe \
is
under water, you’ll never be able to start your engine. Whe\
n you go through water, remember
that when vour brakes get wet, it mav take you longer to
stop.
C. ..
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I
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 the Maintenance Schedule booklet for additional information.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. 0 ne 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.
0 Don’t drink and drive.
0 Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from ndlights
behind you.
0 Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more
0 Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights can light
space between you and other vehicles.
up only
so much road ahead.
0 In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine High way 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 same 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:
0 Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool
0 Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check
interior.
your mirrors and your instruments frequently.
0 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.
Hill and Mountain Roads
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 Driving” in the Index for information about driving off-road.)
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold snow or ice can be
slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice can be even more trouble because it
may offer the least traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s about
freezing
(32°F; 0 O C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.
L
Whatever the condition - smooth ice, packed, blowing or loose snow -
drive with caution.
Accelerate gently.
Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface under \
the tires even
more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make a hard stop\
on a
slippery road. Even though you have an anti-lock braking system\
, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. \
See
“Anti-lock” in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
0 Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until you hit a spot
that’s covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches may
appear
in shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surface\
of a
curve or an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding roads are
clear.
If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it.
Try not to brake while you’re actually on the ice, and avo\
id sudden steering maneuvers.
1
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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 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 Towing
(Four- Wheel Drive Only)
If your vehicle has &wheel drive, you may tow it behind another vehicle
providing it does not have the optional electronic shift transfer case.
NOTICE:
Recreational vehicle towing is not recommended for vehicles
with the optional electronic shift transfer case because the
electronic shift has no neutral position.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Before towing, you should:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Place the automatic transmission in “P’ (Park) or the manual
transmission
in the lowest gear (1 st gear).
hitch manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Firmly attach
the vehicle being towed to the tow vehicle. Refer to the
4. Place the transfer case shift lever in “N’ (Neutral).
5. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle being towed i\
s firmly
6. Insert the ignition key into the ignition switch and turn it one notch
forward
of the LOCK position. This places the key into the OFF
po.sition, which unlocks the steering column while preventing battery
drain. Unlocking the steering column
will allow for proper movement
of the front wheelshires during towing.
attached to
the tow vehicle.
I NOTICE:
I You should exercise extra care whenever towing another vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This lets
you check your electricql 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 would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoid situations \
that
require heavy braking apd sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re to\
wing 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 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.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than n\
ormal. 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 wi\
ll
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 pan\
el will flash
€or
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 importan\
t
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still \
working.
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