1995 CHEVROLET BLAZER lock

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the 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 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 vehicle can perform very well
in emergencies like these. First apply
your brakes. (See “Braking in Emergencies’’ earlier in \
this section.) 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 de\
cision.
If you
are holding the steering wheel at the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock
positions, you
can turn it a full 1 SO 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.
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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 Driving Guidelines
This multipurpose passenger 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.
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
enjoyable.
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. Check to make sure all
underbody shields (if
so equipped) are properly attached. 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 Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
There are some important things to remember about how to load your
vehicle.
0 The heaviest things should be on the load floor and forward of your
rear axle. Put heavier items as far forward as you can.
doesn’t toss things around.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on the off-road terrain
You’ll find other important information in this manual. See “Vehicle
Loading,’’ “Luggage Carrier” and “Tires” in the Index.
Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going to a remote 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 vehicle.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it’s one of those hills that’s
just too steep to climb, descend, or cross. Steepness can be hard to judge.
On a very small hill, for example, there may be a smooth, constant incline
with only
a small change in elevation where you can easily see all the way
to the top. On
a large hill, the incline may get steeper as you near the top,
but you may not see this because the crest of the hill is h\
idden by bushes,
grass, or shrubs.
Here are some other things to consider as you approach a hill.
Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get sharply steeper in places?
0 Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the surface cause tire
0 Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you won’t have to make
0 Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your path (boulders,
trees, logs or ruts)?
What’s beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an embankment, a drop-off, a
fence? Get out and walk the hill if you don’t know. It’s the smart way
to find out.
slipping?
turning maneuvers?
0 Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have ruts, gullies, troughs
and exposed rocks because they are more susceptible to the effects
of
erosion.
Driving Uphi//
Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you need to take some
special steps.
0 Use a low gear and get a firm grip on the steering wheel.
0 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 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.
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 NEUTRAL (N) (or
depressing the clutch, if you have a manual transmission) 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 app\
ly the parking
brake. Shift into reverse, release the parking brake, and slowl\
y 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 enou\
gh 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 PARK (P) (or the
manual transmission in first gear), and
turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle
and go get some help. Exit on the uphill side and stay clear of
the path the vehicle would take if it rolled downhill. Do not shift the
transfer case to NEUTRAL
(N) when you leave the vehicle. Leave it in
some gear.
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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°C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.
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 dkve 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.
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 cl\
umps 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 avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
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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.
Power Winches
If you wish to use a power winch on your vehicle, only use it when your
vehicle is stationary or anchored.
NOTICE:
Operating a power winch with an automatic transmission in
PARK (P) or a manual transmission in gear may damage the
transmission. Always put the transmission in a Neutral position \
while operating a power winch.
I
Use the regular brakes, set the parking brake or block the wheels to keep
your vehicle from rolling.
If your vehicle is equipped with an airbag, see "Adding Equipment to Your
Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle" in the Index.
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