
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Normal operating range shows your engine speed during normal driving
conditions.
For example, when the needle points to 2, it means the engine is
running at 2,000 revolutions per minute (rpm). The tachometer needle will
vary all the time that the engine is running.
The red warning range tells you that your engine speed is reaching its upper
limits. Don’t drive very long with the tachometer in the red warning range.
If you have a manual transmission, shift to a higher gear as
soon as possible.
If you have an automatic transmission, lift your foot
off of the accelerator
pedal. If you drive for very long with the tachometer in the red danger
range, engine damage will result.
NOTICE:
Do not operate the engine with the tachometer in the red range,
or engine damage will occur.
The red danger range tells you that your engine speed is at its upper limits.
You should immediately shift to a higher gear, or lift your foot
off of the
accelerator pedal. If you drive for very long with the tachometer in the red
danger range, engine damage will result.
Warning Lights and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that may be on your
vehicle. The pictures will help you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is wrong before it
becomes serious enough to cause an expensive repair or replacement.
Paying attention
to your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a problem with one of your
vehicle’s functions.
As you will see in the details on the next few pages,
some warning lights come on briefly when you start the engine just to let
you know they’re working. If you are familiar with this section, you should
not be alarmed when this happens.
Gages caa indicate when there may be or is a problem with one of your
vehicle’s functions. Often gages and warning lights work together to let you
know when there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on when you are
driving, or when one of the gages shows there may be a problem, check the
section that tells you what
to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to
do repairs can be costly - and even dangerous. So please get to
know your warning lights and gages. They’re a big help.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You will see this light flash for a few seconds when you turn your ignition
to
RUN or START. Then the light should go out. This means the system is
ready.
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on when you start your vehicle,
or stays on,
or comes on when you are driving, your air bag system may not
work properly. Have your vehicle serviced right away.
Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into two parts. If one part
isn’t working, the other part can still work and stop
you. For good braking,
though, you need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake problem. Have your
brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on briefly
as you start the vehicle. If it doesn’t come
on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the road and stop
carefully. You may notice that the pedal
is harder to push. Or, the pedal may
go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop.
If the light is still on, have
the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle” in
the Index.)
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The brake system warning light will also come on when you set your
parking brake, and it will stay on
if your parking brake doesn’t release fully.
If it stays
on after your parking brake is fully released, it means you have a
brake problem.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
ANTI-LOCK
With the anti-lock brake system, this light will come on when you start your
engine and may stay on for several seconds. That’s normal. If the light
doesn’t come on, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there is a
problem.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, your vehicle needs
service. If the regular brake system warning light isn’t on, you still have
brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock brakes.
If the regular brake system
warning light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes and there’s a
problem with your regular brakes. See “Brake System Warning Light”
earlier in this part.
Indicator Lights
Indicator lights go on when you use your turn signals, change from low
beam headlights to high beams,
or when you use your hazard flashers. The
next few pages will also tell you about the indicator lights \
on your vehicle
and help you locate them.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Charging System Light
The red charging
system light is above
your oil temperature
gage on your
instrument cluster and
will come on briefly
when
you turn on the
ignition,
but the
engine
is not running,
as a check to show
you
it is working.
It should go out once the engine is running. If it stays
on, or comes on while
you are driving, you may have a problem with the charging system. It could
indicate that you have problems with a generator drive belt, or another
electrical problem. Have it checked right away. Driving while t\
his light is on
could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be certain to turn off all
your accessories, such as the radio and air conditioner.
Check Gages Light
CHECK
GAGES
This amber CHECK
GAGES light is above
the
fuel gage on the
instrument cluster and
will come on briefly
when you are starting
the engine.
If the light comes on and stays on while you are driving, check your coolant
temperature and engine oil pressure gages to see
if they are in the warning
zones.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Voltmeter
14
49
When your engine is
not running, but the ignition'is on (in the
RUN position), this
gage shows
your
battery's state of
charge in DC volts.
When the engine is running, the gage shows the condition of the charging
system. Readings between the low and high warning zones indicate the
normal operating range.
Readings in the low warning zone may occur when a large number of
electrical accessories are operating in the vehicle and the engine is left at an
idle for an extended period. This condition is normal since
the charging
system is not able to provide full power at engine idle.
As engine speeds are
increased, this condition should correct itself as higher engine speeds allow
the charging system to create maximum power.
You can only drive for
a short time with the reading in either warning zone.
If you must drive, turn
off all unnecessary accessories.
Readings in either warning zone indicate a possible problem in the electrical
system. Have the vehicle serviced as soon as possible.
Luggage Carrier (Option)
If you have a luggage carrier, you can load things on top of your vehicle.
The luggage carrier
has slats, side rails and
cross rails attached to
the roof to secure
cargo. The moveable
tie downs, attached to
the side rails, should
be used to secure loads to the luggage
carrier.
I I
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens whe\
n 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 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 brake system (ABS) helps avoid only the braking
skid.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
0 Turn on your low-beam headlights - not just your parking lights - to
help make
you more visible to others.
especially careful when you pass another vehicle. Allow yourself\
more clear room ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted by road
spray.
0 Besides slowing down, allow some extra following distance. And be
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)
City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the amount of traffic on
them. You’ll want to watch out for what the other drivers are doing and pay
attention to traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
0
0
e
Know the best way to get to where you are going. Get a city map and
plan your trip into an unknown part
of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. You’ll
save time and energy. (See the next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signal.
A traffic light is there because
the corner
is busy enough to need it. When a light turns green, and just
before you start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be running the red light.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter. Be sure your engine
coolant mix is correct.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in your vehicle.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply of windshield
washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer clothing, a small shovel,
a flashlight,
a red cloth, and a couple of reflective warning triangles. And,
if you will be
driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece of old
carpet or a couple
of burlap bags to help provide traction. Be sure you
properly secure these items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the road probably have
good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and the road,
you can
have a very slippery situation. You’ll have a lot less traction or “grip” and
will need to be very careful.
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