
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. 
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  shallow  water,  it  can  still wash  away  the 
ground  from  under  your  tires,  and  you  could  lose 
traction  and  roll  the  vehicle  over.  Don’t  drive 
through  rushing  water. 
See  “Driving Through  Water”  in the Index  for more 
information on driving  through  water. 
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  bralung. 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. 
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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  Rain  and  on Wet Roads 
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  less  traction. It’s  always  wise  to  go slower  and  be 
4-29   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine City Driving One of the  biggest  problems  with  city  streets is the 
amount  of  traffic 
on them. You'll want  to  watch  out for 
what  the  other drivers are doing  and  pay  attention to 
traffic  signals. 
Here 
are ways  to increase  your  safety  in  city  driving: 
Know  the  best  way to get  to where  you  are 
going.  Get 
a city  map  and plan  your  trip  into an 
unknown  part 
of the  city  just as you  would  for a 
cross-country  trip. 
Try to use the freeways  that rim  and  crisscross  most 
large  cities. 
You'll save time and  energy.  (See the 
next  part,  "Freeway  Driving.") 
Treat a green  light  as a  warning  signal. A traffic  light 
is there  because  the  corner is busy enough to need it. 
When  a  light  turns  green, 
and just before  you  start  to 
move,  check  both  ways  for vehicles  that  have not 
cleared  the  intersection  or may  be  running  the 
red  light. 
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Freeway Driving 
Mile for mile,  freeways (also called thruways, parkways, 
expressways, turnpikes  or superhighways)  are the  safest 
of  all  roads.  But  they  have their own special rules.  The 
most  important advice 
on freeway  driving is:  Keep 
up  with  traffic  and  keep to the  right.  Drive  at  the  same 
speed  most 
of the  other drivers are  driving.  Too-fast  or 
too-slow  driving breaks a smooth  traffic  flow.  Treat 
the 
left lane on a freeway  as a passing  lane. 
At  the entrance, there  is usually 
a ramp  that  leads  to the 
freeway.  If 
you have a clear  view  of  the freeway as you 
drive along  the entrance  ramp,  you  should  begin  to 
check  traffic.  Try  to determine  where 
you expect to 
blend  with  the  flow.  Try 
to merge  into the gap  at close to 
the  prevailing  speed. Switch on  your  turn signal, check 
your  mirrors  and  glance over your  shoulder  as often  as 
necessary.  Try  to blend  smoothly  with 
the traffic  flow. 
Once  you are on 
the freeway,  adjust  your  speed  to the 
posted  limit  or to the prevailing  rate  if  it’s  slower.  Stay 
in the  right lane unless  you  want  to pass. 
Before changing lanes, check  your  mirrors. Then use 
your  turn  signal. 
Just  before  you  leave the  lane,  glance  quickly  over your 
shoulder 
to make  sure there  isn’t another  vehicle  in  your 
“blind”  spot. 
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Once you are  moving  on  the  freeway,  make  certain you 
allow 
a reasonable following distance.  Expect to move 
slightly  slower 
at night. 
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: 
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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? 
Weather Forecasts: What’s  the  weather  outlook 
along  your  route? Should  you  delay  your  trip a short 
time  to  avoid  a major  storm  system? 
Maps: Do you  have  up-to-date  maps? 
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. 
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: 
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. 
0 If you get sleepy,  pull  off the road into a rest, service 
or  parking  area  and  take a nap,  get  some exercise,  or 
both.  For  safety,  treat drowsiness 
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.) 
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. 
0 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. 
If you don’t  shift  down,  your  brakes  could  get so 
hot  that  they  wouldn’t  work well.  You  would 
then  have  poor  braking  or  even  none  going 
down 
a hill. You could  crash.  Shift  down  to  let 
your  engine  assist  your  brakes  on  a  steep 
downhill  slope.  Coasting 
downhill in 
NEUTRAL (N) or with  the 
ignition 
off is dangerous.  Your brakes will have to 
do 
all the  work of slowing  down.  They could  get so 
hot that  they  wouldn’t  work well.  You  would then 
have  poor  braking  or  even none  going  down 
a hill. 
You could  crash.  Always  have your engine  running 
and  your  vehicle  in gear  when  you  go  downhill. 
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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. 
4-36   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine - 
Snow can  trap  exhaust  gases under  your  vehicle. 
This  can  cause  deadly 
CO (carbon  monoxide)  gas 
to  get  inside. 
CO could  overcome  you and  kill 
you.  You can’t  see  it 
or smell  it, so you might  not 
know  it  is in  your  vehicle.  Clear away  snow  from 
around  the  base  of your  vehicle, especially  any 
that 
is blocking  your  exhaust  pipe. And  check 
around  again  from  time  to  time  to  be sure  snow 
doesn’t  collect there. 
Open  a  window  just  a  little  on  the  side 
of the 
vehicle  that’s  away  from  the wind. This will help 
keep 
CO out. 
Run your  engine  only  as  long  as you  must.  This saves 
fuel.  When  you 
run the engine,  make it go a little faster 
than  just idle.  That 
is, push  the  accelerator  slightly.  This 
uses  less  fuel  for the  heat  that  you  get  and 
it keeps  the 
battery  charged. 
You will  need  a well-charged  battery  to 
restart  the vehicle,  and  possibly  for signaling  later 
on 
with your  headlamps.  Let  the  heater run for awhile. 
Then,  shut  the  engine off  and  close the  window  almost 
all  the  way 
to preserve  the  heat.  Start  the  engine again 
and  repeat  this  only  when  you feel  really  uncomfortable 
from  the  cold. 
But do it as little as possible.  Preserve  the 
fuel  as  long  as  you can. 
To help  keep  warm, you can  get 
out  of the  vehicle  and 
do some fairly  vigorous  exercises 
every 
half hour  or so until help comes. 
4-40