1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off-road terrain doesn’t toss things around.
A CAUTION:
0 Cargo on the load floor piled higher than
the seatbacks can be thrown forward
during a sudden stop. You or your
passengers could be injured. Keep cargo
below the top of the seatbacks.
Unsecured cargo on the load floor can
be tossed about when driving over rough
terrain. You or your passengers can
be struck by flying objects. Secure the
cargo properly,
Heavy loads on the roof raise the vehicle’s
center of gravity, making it more likely to
roll over. You can be seriously
or fatally
injured if the vehicle rolls over, Put heavy
loads inside the cargo area, not on the roof,
Keep cargo in the cargo area as far forward
and low as possible.
You’ll find other important information in
this manual.
See “Vehicle Loading,” “Luggage Carrier” and “Tires”
in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Environmental Concerns
Off-road driving can provide wholesome and satisfying
recreation. However, it
also raises environmental
concerns.
GM recognizes these concerns and urges
every off-roader to follow these basic rules for
protecting
the environment:
Always use established trails, roads and areas that
have been specially set aside for public off-road
recreational driving; obey all posted regulations.
Avoid any driving practice that could damage the
environment -- shrubs, flowers, trees, grasses -- or
disturb wildlife (this includes wheel-spinning,
breaking down trees or unnecessary driving through
streams or over soft ground).
Always carry a litter bag . . . make sure all refuse is
removed from any campsite before leaving.
Take extreme care with open fires (where permitted),
Never park your vehicle over dry grass or other
camp
stoves and lanterns.
combustible materials that
could catch fire from the
heat
of the vehicle’s exhaust system.
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.
Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving
It’s a good idea to practice in an area that’s safe and
close
to home before you go into the wilderness.
Off-road driving does require some new and different
driving skills. Here’s what we mean.
Tune your senses
to different kinds of signals. Your
eyes, for example, need
to constantly sweep the terrain
for unexpected obstacles. Your ears need
to listen for
unusual tire or engine sounds. With your arms, hands,
feet and body, you’ll need
to respond to vibrations and
vehicle bounce.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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:
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you approach things faster and you have less time to
scan the terrain for obstacles.
you have less time
to react.
you have more vehicle bounce when you drive
over obstacles.
you’ll need more distance
for braking, especially
since you’re on an unpaved surface.
When you’re driving off-road, bouncing and
quick changes in direction can easily throw you
out of position. This could cause 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.
Surjizce 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.
Sutfkce 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?
0 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?
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine w I I 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.
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.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Approach lg 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.
Here are some other things to consider
as you approach
a hill.
0 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 slipping?
0 Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you
won’t have to make turning maneuvers?
0 Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your
path (boulders, trees, logs or ruts)?
0 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.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving Uphill
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
0 Get a smooth start up the hill and try to maintain
steering wheel.
your speed. Don’t
use more
power than you need,
because
you don’t want your wheels to start spinning
or sliding.
If the path twists and turns, you might want to find
another route.
0 Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible.
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Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of
the hill.
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.
Use your headlamps even during the day. They make
you more visible
to oncoming traffic.
Awning 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.
A CAUTION: I
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about
to stall, and
I can’t make it up the hill?
A: If this happens, there are some things you should
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do, and there are some things you must not do.
First, here’s what
you should do:
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
to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in REVERSE (R).
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 (R), release the
parking brake, and slowly back down the hill as
straight as possible in REVERSE
(R).
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.
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.
Instead, apply the regular brake
to stop the vehicle.
Then apply the parking brake.
Shift to REVERSE (R),
release the parking brake,
and slowly back straight down.
0 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 (1)) 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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A CAUTION:
If you have a manual transfer case shift lever,
shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL
(N) can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the transmission
is in PARK
(P) (or, if you have the manual
transmission, even if you’re in gear). This is
because the NEUTRAL
(N) position on the
transfer case overrides the transmission.
If you
are going to leave your vehicle, set the parking
brake and shift the transmission to PARK
(P)
(or, put your manual transmission in FIRST (1)).
But do not shift the transfer case to the
NEUTRAL
(N) position. Leave the transfer
case in the 2HI,4HI or 4LO position.
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