
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Cruise Control (Option)
With cruise control, you can
maintain a speed
of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more
without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. This can
really help on long trips.
Cruise control does
not
work at speeds below about
25 mph (40 kdh).
If
you have an automatic transmission and you apply
your brakes, the cruise control will
shut off.
If you have a manual transmission and you apply your
brakes or push the clutch pedal, the cruise control
will
shut off.
A CAUTIOh: '
Cruise contrt I be dangerous where you
can't drive safely at
a steady speed. So,
don't use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control. Don't
use cruise control on slippery roads.
-
Cruise control can be dangerous on
2-40

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster
than any driver could. The computer
is programmed to
make the most
of available tire and road conditions.
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet.
You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front
of you.
You slam
on the brakes. Here’s what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels
is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at the
rear wheels. You
can steer around the obstacle while braking hard. As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
4-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up
to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. 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.
Using 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, yodll 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.
4-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
4-13

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:
0
0
0
0
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?
4-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. Hard
packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction.
On these surfaces,
it’s very easy to lose control. On wet
ice, €or 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.
I
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.
4-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. See “Roadside Assistance” in
the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed since it was
factory-new by adding things like fog lamps, aero
skirting, or special tires and wheels, these instructions
may not be correct.
,Before you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When
you call, tell the towing service:
Whether your vehicle has rear-wheel drive,
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can move the shift lever for the
four-wheel drive
or all-wheel drive.
transmission and shift the transfer case,
if you
have one.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains these towing instructions. The operator may want to see them.
I A CAUTION:
-
To help avoid injury to you or others:
0 Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
0 Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
0 Never tow with damaged parts not fully secured.
0 Never get under your vehicle after it has
0 Always use separate safety chains on each
0 Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being
towed.
been lifted by the tow truck.
side when towing a vehicle.
5-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When
the
clutch is engaged, the fan spins faster to provide
more air to cool the engine. In most every day driving
conditions, the clutch is
not engaged. This improves
fuel economy and reduces fan noise. Under heavy
vehicle loading, trailer towing and/or high outside
temperatures, the’ fan speed increases when
the clutch
engages.
So you may hear an increase in fan noise.
This is normal and should not be mistaken as
the
transmission slipping or making extra shifts. It is
merely the cooling system functioning properly. The
fan will slow down when additional cooling
is not
required and the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the
engine. It will go away as the fan clutch disengages.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely
to leak out slowly.
But
if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what
to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls
the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip
the steering wheel firmly.
Steer
to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like
a skid and may require the same correction you’d use in
a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your
foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get
the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle
to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can
still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment
to change a flat tire safely.
5-20