1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE brake

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 wark 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 eftort.
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 roadconditions. Under less
favorable 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. Wait 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 petform 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.
4-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and
start your
left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass.,When you are far enough
ahead
of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
if
your right outside mirror is convex, the vehicle you
just passed may seem to be ,farther away from you
than it really is.)
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
0 Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
0 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Driving Guidelines
This multipurpose passenger vehicle is defined as a
utility vehicle in Consumer Information Regulations
issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
(NHTSA) of the United States
Department of Transportation. Utility vehicles have
higher ground clearance and a narrower track
to make
them capable
of performing in a wide variety of off-road
applications. Specific design characteristics give them a
higher center of gravity than ordinary cars. An
advantage of the higher ground clearance is a better
view of the road allowing you
to anticipate problems.
They are not designed for cornering at the same speeds
as conventional two-wheel-drive vehicles any more than
low-slung sports cars
are designed to perform
satisfactorily under off-road conditions. If at all
possible, avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate
this vehicle correctly may result in loss
of control or
vehicle rollover.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Off-Road Driving with Your
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have
four-wheel drive.
Also, see “Anti-Lock Brakes’’ in the Index.
If your vehicle doesn’t have four-wheel drive, you
shouldn’t drive off-road unless you’re on a level,
solid surface.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But
it does have
some definite hazards. The greatest
of these is the
terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes aren’t
marked. Curves aren’t banked. There are no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In
short, you’ve gone right back
to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that’s
why it’s very important that you read this guide. You’ll
find many driving tips and suggestions. These’will help
make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
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.
4-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine e.” What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about
A: If this happens, there are some things you should
to stall, and I can’t make it up the hill?
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.
0 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).
restart it. With the brake pedal depressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK
(P) 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).
0 If your engine has stopped running, you’ll need to
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 nut 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) 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.
,e 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.
4-20

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Y Dppse, after stalling, I try to back down the
kill PRd decide I just can’t do it. What should
I d@7
A
!!kt €he parking brake, put your transmission in
PARK (P) and turn off the engine. Leave the
V@kk and go get some help. Exit on the uphill
.ri& gild stay clear of the path the vehicle would
tf it rolled downhill. Do not shift the transfer
*n NEUTRAL (N) when you leave the vehicle.
‘t in some gear.
$1 3 the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N)
BBH CiWslj@ your vehicle to roll even if the
fFtW8ftlj58ion is
in PARK (P). This is because the
NEuTuL (N) position on the transfer case
@V@PfkkS the transmission. If you are going to
hVf3 pi4r vehicle, set the parking brake and
hi! transmission to PARK (P). But do not
§hi## €hi! transfer case to the NEUTRAL (N)
pl iOR8 Leave the transfer case in the 2 Wheel,
4 1 ah 01: 4 LOW position.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you’ll want to
consider a number
of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain
vehicle control?
0 What’s the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
What’s at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden
creek bank or even
a river bottom with large rocks?
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.
- 4-21

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Q: Are there some things I should not do when
driving down
a hill?
A: Yes! These are important because if you
0
0
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). 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
0
0
0
a
it happens going downhill, here’s what to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.
Shift to PARK (P) and, while still braking, restart
the engine.
Shift back to a low gear, release
the parking brake,
and drive straight down.
If the engine won’t start, get
out and get help.
4-22