1994 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA wheel

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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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.
you have more vehicle bounce when
you drive over obstacles.
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?
Will the surface texture change
Does the travel take you uphill or
abruptly
up ahead?
downhill? (There’s more discussion of
these subjects later.)
change direction quickly?
Will you have to stop suddenly or
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.
When you drive over bumps, rocks, or
other obstacles, your wheels 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.
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Driving Uphi//
Once you decide you can safely drive
up the hill, you need to take some
special steps.
Use a low gear and get a firm grip on
the steering wheel.
Get a smooth start up the hill and try
to maintain your speed. Don’t use
more power than you need, because
you don’t want your wheels to start
spinning or sliding.
Try to drive straight up the hill if at all
possible. If the path twists and turns,
you might want to find another route.
Ease up on your speed as you
approach the top of the.hill..
Attach a flag to the vehicle to make
you more visible to approaching
traffic on trails or hills.
Sound the horn as you approach the
top of the hill to let opposing traffic
know you’re there.
Use your headlights even during the
day. They make you more visible to
oncoming traffic.
Q: What should I do if my vehicle
stalls,
or is about to stall, and I
can’t make it up the hill?
A: If this happens, there are some
things you should
do, and there are
some things you must not do. First,
here’s what you
should do:
Push the brake pedal to stop the
vehicle and keep it from rolling
backwards. Also, apply the parking
brake.
the transmission into reverse,
release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in reverse.
If your engine has stopped running,
you’ll need
to restart it. With the
brake pedal depressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the
transmission to
P (Park) and
restart the engine. Then, shift to
reverse, release the parking brake,
and slowly back down the hill as
straight as possible in reverse.
As you are backing down the hill,
put
your left hand on the steering
wheel at the
12 o’clock position.
This way, you’ll be able to tell if
your wheels are straight and
maneuver
as you back down. It’s
best that you back down the hill
with your wheels straight rather
than in the left or right direction.
Turning the wheel too far
to the
left or right will increase the
possibility
of a rollover.
If your engine is still running, shift
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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.
L
I
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Your Driving and the Road
122
Stalling on an Mine
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.
Hard packed snow and ice offer the
worst tire traction.
On these surfaces,
it’s very easy to lose 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.
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