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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 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.
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
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your brakes and they won’t have to do all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
0: 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.
0 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.
0 Never go downhill with the transmission in NEUTRAL (N), or with the
clutch pedal depressed in a manual shift
. This is called
“free-wheeling.” Your brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.
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.
0 Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes. Apply the parking
0 Shift to PARK (P) (or to Neutral with the manual transmission) and,
brake.
while still braking, restart the engine.
1, 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
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Driving ln 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.
If
you have a diesel engine, see “Driving Through Water (Diesel Engines)”
in the Index for more information on driving through water.
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When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper lane well in
advance. If you miss your exit do not, under any circumstances, stop and
back up. Drive on to the next exit.
The exit ramp
can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed
is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not to your sense of
motion. After driving for any distance at higher speeds, you may tend
to
think you are going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you must start when you’re
not fresh
- such as after a day’s work - don’t plan to make too many
miles that first part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and
shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it serviced and maintained,
it’s ready to go. If
it needs service, have it done before starting out. Of
course, you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
GM dealers all
across
North America. They’ll be ready and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before
a trip:
0 Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread
good enough for long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Should you delay your trip a short time to avoid a major
storm system?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook along your route?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway 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.
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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
interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check
your mirrors and your instruments frequently.
and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area
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.)
0
0
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.
Know
how to go down hills. The most important thing to know 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.
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0
0
0
0
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 take
appropriate action.
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Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your vehicle in good shape for winter. Be sure your engine
coolant
mix is correct.
0 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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lf You’re Caught in a Blizzard
b:,: ,.... ..... .. .. .rxx*
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a serious situation. You
should probably stay with your vehicle unless
you know for sure that you
are near help and you can hike through the snow. Here are some things to do
to summon help and keep yourself and your passengers safe:
Turn on your
hazard flashers. Tie a red cloth
to your vehicle to alert police that you’ve
been stopped by the snow. Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around
you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body insulators from
newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor mats
- anything you can wrap around
yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine
to keep warm, but be careful.
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