1994 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA brakes

Your Driving and the Road
112
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be
more effective than braking. 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 Oldsmobile can perform very well
in emergemies like these. First apply
your brakes. It is better to remove as
much speed as
you can from a possible collision. Then
xeer 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.
The fact that such emergency situations
are always possible is
a good reason to
practice defensive driving at all times
and wear safety belts properly.
, IOFF ROAD RECOVERY /
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.
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hur Driving and the Road
114
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say
about what happens when the three
control systems (brakes, steering and
acceleration) don’t have 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 conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to
your Oldsmobile’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
quicldy 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.
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Driving Guidelines
This multipurpose passknger 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.
3perating Your Bravada Off
Paved Roads
Many of the same design features that
help make Bravada responsive on paved
roads during poor weather conditions
-
features like the locking rear axle and all-
wheel drive - help make it much better
suited for off-road use than a
conventional passenger
car. Its higher
ground clearance also helps Bravada step
over some off-road obstacles. But
Bravada doesn’t have features like special
underbody shielding and a transfer case
low gear range, things that are usually
thought necessary for extended or severe
off-road service.
This guide is for
operating your Bravada off paved roads.
Also, see Anti-Lock Brakes in the Index.
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 malte your
off-road driving safer and more
enjoyable.
Before You Go Ofi-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 all-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?
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Your Driving and the Road
120
Here are some things you must not
do if you stall, or are about to stall,
when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by
shifting into
N (Neutral) to “rev-
up” the engine and regain forward
momentum. This won’t work. Your
vehicle will roll backwards very
quickly and you could go out of
control. Instead, apply the regular
brake to stop the vehicle. Then
apply the parking brake. Shift into
reverse, release the parking brake,
and slowly back straight down.
Never attempt to turn around if
you are about to stall when going
up a hill. If the hill is steep enough
to stall your vehicle, it’s steep
enough to cause you to roll over
if
you turn around. If you can’t make
it up the hill, you must back
straight down the hill.
Q: Suppose, after stalling, I try to back
down the hill and decide
I just
can’t do it. What should
I do?
A: Set the parking brake, put your
transmission
in P (Park), and turn off
the engine. Leave the vehicle and go get some nelp. Exit
on the uphill side
and stay clear of the path the vehicle
would take
if it rolled downhill.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill,
you’ll want to consider a number of
things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be
able
to maintain vehicle control?
What’s the surface like? Smooth?
Rough? Slippery? Hard-packed dirt?
Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles?
Ruts? Logs? Boulders?
What’s at the bottom of the hill? Is
there a hidden creek bank or even a
river bottom with large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill
safely, then try to keep your vehicle
headed straight down, and use a low
gear. This way, engine drag can help
your brakes and they won’t have to do
all the work. Descend slowly, keeping
your vehicle under control at all times.
Q: Are there some things I should not
do when driving down a hill?
A: Yes! These are important because if
you ignore them you could lose
control and have a serious accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns
that take you across the incline of
the hill.
A hill that’s not too steep
to drive down may be too steep to
drive across. You could roll over
if
you don’t drive straight down.
transmission in
N (Neutral). This
is called “free-wheeling.” Your
brakes will have to do all the work
and could overheat and fade.
Never go downhill with the
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Q: Am I likely to stall when going
downhill?
A It’s much more likely to happen
going uphill. But if it happens going
downhill, here’s what to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying the
regular brakes. Apply the parking
brake.
Shift to P (Park) and, while still
braking, restart the engine.
Shift back to a low gear, release the
parking brake, and drive straight
down.
If the engine won’t start, get out
and get help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will
probably go across the incline of a
hill. If
this happens, you have to decide
whether to
try to drive across the incline.
Here are some things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up or
down may be too steep to drive
across. When you go straight up or
down
a hill, the length of the wheel
base (the distance from the front wheels
to the rear wheels) reduces the
likelihood the vehicle will tumble end
over end. But when you drive across
an incline, the much more narrow
track width (the distance between the
left and right wheels) may not prevent
the vehicle from tilting and rolling
over. Also, driving across an incline
puts more weight
on the downhill
wheels. This could cause
a downhill
slide or a rollover.
Surface conditions can be a problem
when you drive across a hill. Loose
gravel, muddy spots, or even wet grass
can cause your tires to slip sideways,
downhill. If the vehicle slips sideways,
it can hit something that will trip it (a
rock, a rut, etc.) and roll over.
Hidden obstacles can make the
steepness of the incline even worse. If
you drive across a rock with the uphill
wheels, or if the downhill wheels drop
into a rut or depression, your vehicle
can tilt even more.
For reasons like these, you need to
decide carefully whether to
try to drive across
an incline. Just because the trail
goes across the incline doesn’t mean
you have to drive it. The last vehicle to
try it might have rolled over.
Q: What if I’m driving across an
incline that’s not too steep, but
I
hit some loose gravel and start to
slide downhill. What should I do?
A: If you feel your vehicle starting to
slide sideways, turn downhill. This
should help straighten out the
vehicle and prevent the side slipping.
However, a much better way to
prevent this is
to get out and “walk
the course”
so you know what the
surface is like before you drive it.
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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 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. Stalling 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. When you go through
water, remember that when your brakes
get wet, it may take you longer to stop.
After OtY-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 the body
structure, steering, suspension, wheels,
tires, and exhaust system 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 for additional
information.
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1 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 less
traction. It’s always wise to go slower
and be cautious
if rain starts to fall
while you are driving. The surface may
get wet suddenly when your reflexes arc
tuned for driving on dry pavement. The
heavier the rain, the harder it is to
see. Even
if your windshield wiper blades
are in good shape, a heavy rain can make
it harder to see road signs and traffic
signals, pavement markings, the edge
of
the road, and even people walking.
It’s wise to keep your wiping equipment
in good shape and keep your windshield
washer tank filled. Replace your
windshield wiper inserts when they
show signs
of streaking or missing areas
on the windshield, or when strips of
rubber start to separate from the inserts.
I
Driving too fast through large water
puddles or even going through some car
washes can cause problems, too. The
water may affect your brakes. Try
to
avoid puddles. But if you can’t, try to
slow down before you hit them.
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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.)
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.
how how to go down hills. The most
important thing to how is this: let
your engine do some
of the slowing down.
Shift to
a lower gear when you
go
down a steep or long hill.
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 you 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.
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 falling
rocks area, or winding roads. Be alert
to these and tale appropriate action.
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