Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. 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.
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.
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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 An emergency like this, requires close attention and a
quick decision. If
you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full
180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But
you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once
you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible
is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
You m find sometime that your right wheels have
droppe
1 off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you’re ,Iriving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease
off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing
in the way, steer so
that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can
turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn until the
right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then
turn your
steering wheel to
go straight down the roadway.
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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.
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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:
you approach things faster and you have less time to
scan the terrain, for obstacles.
0 you have less time to react.
0 you have more vehicle bounce when you drive
over obstacles.
0 you’ll need more distance for braking, especially
since you’re on an unpaved surface.
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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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.
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
I
11 A CAUTION:
Many hills are simply too steep forany 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 thos’e 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
0
0
0
0
0
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 turning maneuvers?
Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your
path (boulders, 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.
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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.
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