1995 GMC SIERRA light

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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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.
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any road. And this is
certainly true for off-road driving. At the very time
you need special
alertness and driving skills, your reflexes, perceptions and judgment can be
affected by even a small amount of alcohol.
You could have a serious - or
even fatal
- accident if you drink and drive or ride with a driver who has
been drinking. (See “Drunken Driving” in the Index.)
Driving On Off-Road Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up, down, or across a hill. Driving safely
on hills requires good judgment and an understanding
of what your vehicle
can and can’t do. There are some hills that simply can’t be driven, no matter
how well built the vehicle.
A CAUTION:
Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle, If you drive up
them, you will stall, If you drive
down them, you can’t control
your speed. If you drive across them, you will roll over. You
could be seriously injured
or killed. If you have any doubt about
the steepness, don’t drive the hill.
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 hidden by bushes,
grass, or shrubs.
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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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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.
A CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could cause
loss of control and a serious
accident. Apply the brakes lightly when descending
a hill and
use a low gear to keep vehicle speed under control.
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.
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
brake.
Shift to PARK (P) (or to Neutral with the manual transmission) and,
while still braking, restart the engine.
down.
Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight
If the engine won’t start, get out and get help.
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Stalling on an lncline
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.
1 A CAUTION:
Getting out on the downhill (low) side of a vehicle stopped across
an incline is dangerous.
If the vehicle rolls over, you could be
crushed or killed. Always get out on the uphill (high) side of the
vehicle and stay well clear
of the rollover path.
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.
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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.
A CAUTION:
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or rivers can be dangerous.
Underwater springs, currents under the ice, or sudden thaws
can weaken the ice. Your vehicle could fall through the ice and
you and your passengers could drown. Drive your vehicle on
safe surfaces only.
Driving In 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 darnage 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.
A CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be dangerous. Deep water
can sweep your vehicle downstream and you and your
passengers could drown.
If it’s only inches deep, it can still wash
away the ground
from under your tires, and you could lose
l traction and roll the vehicle over. Don’t drive through rushing
water.
If you have a diesel engme, see “Driving Through Water (Diesel Engines)”
in the Index for more information on driving through water.
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After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the underbody, chassis or
under the hood. These accumulations can be
a fire hazard.
After operation
in mud or sand, have the brake linings cleaned and checked.
These substances can cause glazing and uneven braking. Check the body
structure, steering, suspension. wheels, tires, and exhaust system for
damage.
Also, check the fuel lines and cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle
will require more frequent service due to off-road use. Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule for additional information.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some
drivers are likely
to be impaired - by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems,
or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
0 Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlamps
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more
behind
you.
space
between you and other vehicles.
a Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlamps can light
up only
so much road ahead.
0 In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
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Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as we get older these
differences increase.
A SO-year-old driver may require at least twice as
much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What
you do in the daytime can also affect your night vision. For example,
if you spend the day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses.
Your eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you’re driving,
don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on glare from
headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded
by approaching lights. It can take a second
or two, or even several seconds, for your eyes
to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn’t lower the high
beams, or
a vehicle with misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching lights.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle clean
- inside and
out. Glare at night is made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside
of the glass can build up
a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes lights
dazzle and flash more than clean glass would, making the pupils of your
eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light
up far less of a roadway when you are
in a turn or curve. Keep your eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out
dimly lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be checked regularly
for proper aim, so should your eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers
suffer from night blindness
- the inability to see in dim light - and aren’t
even aware
of it.
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road you can’t stop,
accelerate or
turn as well because your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as
on dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have much tread left, you‘ll get even
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