1997 CHEVROLET S10 Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through same car washes can cause problems, too.
. . . The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles.
: 1
: .:I But-if you can't, try to slow da.wn before you hit them.
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won't work
as well
in a quick stop and may cause pulling tu
one side. You could lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle
of water or
a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until
your brakes work normally.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning usually happens .at higher s.peeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplanirgi The.
best advice is to slow down whenit is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Watw
NOTICE:
If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or
standing, water; water
can come in through your
engine’s air intake and badly damage your
engine. Never driv.e through water that is slightly
lower than the underbody
of your vehicle. If’you
can’t avoid deep puddles
or standing water, drive
through them very
slowly.
Some 0the.r Rainy Weat
Besides slowi~~g down, allow some extra following
distance.
And be especially careful when you pass
another vehicle,. Allow yourself more dear room
ahead, and be prepared to have y~ur view restricted
by mad spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See
“Tires”
in the Index.)
4-33

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine C.ity Driving.
Orkof the bigg.est problems with city streets is the
:amount of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch o.ut for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic -.signals.
Here -are ways to increase y.ou 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 wo.uld for a
cross-country trip.
m Try to use the freeways that-rim and.erisscr.oss mmst
large &tie-s. You’ll save time -and energy (See. the
next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
ligh.t-is there because the corner is busy emugh to,
need it. When a light turns gre,en, and just before you
start to Iimve, check both ways for vehicle-s that have
not cleared the intersection Or may be running the’
red li-ght.
4-34

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Freeway Driving At the &irrance, 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. be.gin to
check traffic. Try to determine where
you exp.e.ct to
blend with the flow. Try to merge iritd the gap at close to
the prevailing sp%eed. 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 youspeed to the
posted
limit or to the prevailing rate if it’%$Qwqq Stav
in the right lane uniess you want’to pass.
Before changing lanes, check y0u.r mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the-lane; glance. quickly over your
shoulder,
to make-sure there-isn’t another vehickin your
“blind” spQt.
Once you are moving
on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable fdhwing distance. Expec-t to move
Mile fox mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways, at night.
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest
of-all roads. But they have- their own special rules,. When you want to leave the:freeway, move to the-proper
The most important advice on freeway-driving is: Keep under any circumstances, stop and back up, D~.~~ on to
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the sam-e
s-peed .most of the other -drivers are dri.ving; Too-fast gr
too-dow driving. brek a smooth traffic flow. Treat .the The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
left
lane on a fr-eeway as a passing lane. lane well
in advance. If you
miss your exit, do not,
the
next exit.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0
c
0
f

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Highway Hypnosis
:,Is there actually such a condtion as “highway hypnosis”?
“Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? .Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness; or whatevm.
There is something. about an easy stretch of road with the
same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on th.e road,
the drone
of the engine, and the rush of the wind :against
.the vehcle that cai~ ~ake you sleepy. Don’t let it happen
.?to
you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the soad h.Eess
tlzan a second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can you
do about h.ighway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can .happen.
Then
here a-e some tips:
0 Make sure. your vehicle: is well ventilated; with a
comfortably cool interior.
0 Keep your eyes moving. Scan -the road ahead
and to
the sides. Cheek y-our mirrors and your
imtruine’nts frequently.
Hill and Mountain Roads-
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
drivjng .in
flat or.ro1ling terrain.
0. If-you get sleepy, p.ull off-the road into a rest, service
or-par.king- area and take
a asp, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.
4-37

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 ab.out driving
off-road.)
Keep your vehicle in good shape; Check all fluid
levels and
also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These pqrts
@a work hard on
mountain roads.
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
po.or 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.
I
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or WILII 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 wen. You would then
have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have your enbe running
and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
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 I
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.
YQU may see highway signs an 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.
4-38

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle. Include
an ice scraper, a small brush. or
broom, n supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing,
a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and
reflective warning triangles. And,
if you will be driving.
under severe conditions, include-a small bag
of sand, a
piece
of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags to help
provide traction. Be sure you properly secure these
items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However,
if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have
a very slippery situation. You’ll
have a
lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be
very careful.
4-39