1995 GMC SIERRA steering

The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol in one drink. No
amount of coffee or number of cold showers will speed that up. “I’ll be
careful” isn’t
the right answer. What if there’s an emergency, a need to take
sudden action, as when a child darts into the street? A person with even a
moderate
BAC might not be able to react quickly enough to avoid the
collision.
There’s something else about drinking and driving that many people don’t
know. Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s system can make
crash injuries worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cQrd or heart.
This means that when anyone who has been drinking
- driver or passenger
- is in a crash, that person’s chance of being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than if the person had not been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where you want it to go.
They are the brakes, the steering and the accelerator. All three systems have
to do their work at the places where the tires meet the road.
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Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need to get your foot up
to the brake pedal. If you get too close to the vehicle in front of you, you
won’t have time
to apply your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or
stops. Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even though
you have
anti-lock brakes.
To Use Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down and let anti-lock
work for you. You may feel the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some
noise, but this is normal. On vehicles
with four-wheel drive, your anti-lock
brakes work at all times
- whether you are in two-wheel drive or
four-wheel drive.
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when you need to. With anti-lock, you
can steer and brake at the same time. In many emergencies, steering can
help you more than even the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the system is
not functioning, you can steer but it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control’’ accidents mentioned on the news happen
on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of
us is subject to the same laws of
physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road
surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels.
If there’s no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in
the same direction. If you’ve ever tried to steer
a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll
understand this.
The traction
you can get in a curve depends on the condition of your tires
and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked, and your
speed. While you’re
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
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Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then you suddenly
accelerate.
Both control systems - steering and acceleration - have to do
their work where the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden acceleration
can demand too much of those places. You can lose control.
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 fivorable 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. Wdit 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 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.
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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.
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.
1. Edge of Road
Surface
2. Slow Down
3. Left Approx. Quarter Turn
4. Recover
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Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads.
Reconsider before passing the next vehicle.
0 Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the
brake lights are
not flashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get
ahead
of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.
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 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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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.
0 you have less time to react.
0 you have more vehicle bounce when you drive over obstacles.
0 you’ll need more distance for braking, especially since you’re on an
unpaved surface.
A CAUTION:
When you’re driving off road, bouncing and quick changes in
direction can easily throw you out of position. This could cau\
se
you to lose control and crash.
So, whether you’re driving on or
off the road, you and your passengers should wear safety belts.
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.
Stttface 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.
Surjace 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 abruptly up ahead‘?
Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s more discussion
of these subjects later.)
0 Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction quickly?
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.
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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?
Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the surface cause tire
slipping?
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,
turning maneuvers?
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.
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.
Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible. If the path twists and
turns, you might want to find another route.
1 A CAUTION:
nrning or driving across steep hills can be dangerous. You
could lose traction, slide sideways, and possibly
roll over. You
could be seriously injured or killed. When driving up hills,
always try to
go straight up.
Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of the hill.
0 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.
to oncoming traffic.
Use your headlights even during the day. They make you more visible
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A CAUTION:
Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can cause an
accident. There could be a drop-off, embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be seriously injured
or killed. As you
near the top
of a hill, slow down and stay alert.
Q: What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and I
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
shoclld do:
can’t make it up the hill?
0 Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it from rolling
backwards. Also, apply the parking brake.
If your engine is still running, shift 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 PARK (P) (or, shift to NEUTRAL
(N) if your vehicle
has a manual transmission) and restart the engine. Then, shift
to
reverse, release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill as
straight
as possible in reverse.
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 mt do if you stall, or are about to stall,
when going
up a hill.
0 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.
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