1997 GMC JIMMY brakes

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. I
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 colnputer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
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0 Check your mirrors. glat~ce 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 yo~~r
inside mirror. acti\;ate your right lane change signal
and move
back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed
may seem to be farther away f'rom you
than it really is.)
a Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Loss of Control
Let's re\:iew what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems
(brakes. steering
;MI accelerution) don't ha\^ 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 a.nd
constantly seek an escape route
or area of less danger.
Skidding
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Driving Downhill
/I 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.
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Q.' Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A: It's nl~lch mo~x likely to happen going ~~phill. But if
it happens going downhill, here's whut to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying the reg~11;~I brakes.
Shift to PARK (P) (or to NEUTRAL (N) with the
Apply the
parking brake.
manual transmission) and, while still braking. restart
the engine.
and drive straight
down.
Shif't back to a low gear, release the parking brake.
if the engine won't start, get out md gct help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go m-oss
the incline of a hill. if this happens, yo^^ have to decide
whether to try to drive across the inc!int.. Here are some
things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up 01- down may be
too steep to drive across. When you go straight LIP or
down a hill, the length of the wheel base (the
distance from the front wheels to the I-car whecls)
reduces the likelihood
the vehic!e will tumble cnd
over end.
But wlwn you drive i~cross an incline. the
much more narrow track width (the distance bctwee1l
the left and right wheels) nay not prevent the vehicle r
Driving across an incline that's too steep will
make your vehicle roll over. You could be
seriously injured or killed. If you have any doubt
about the steepness
of the incline, don't drive
across it. Find another route instead.

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 dso occur if you
tailpipe is under water, yo~l*II never be able to start your
engine. When
you go through water. remember that
when your brakes get
wet. it nay take you longer
to stop.
2 wt your tailpipe under water. And. as long as your
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.
After Off-Road Driving
Relmove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody. chassis or 11nder the hood. These
accumulations CUI be a fire hazard.
After operation
in mud or sand. have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can C~LIS~
glazing and 1111even braking. Check the body structure.
steering. suspension. wheels, tires and exlxwst 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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The heavier the rain. the harder it is to see. Even il'yo~~r
windshield wiper blades are
in good sl~ape. a heavy rain
can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals.
pavement markings, the edge
of the road and even
people walking.
It's wise
to keep your wiping equipment in good shape
and keep your windshield washer tank filled with
washer fluid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when they show signs
of streaking or missing areas on Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won't work
the windshield. or when strips of rubber start to separatc as well in a quick stop and may cause pulling to
from the inserts. 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 nornlally.
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0
0
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.
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.
A CAUTION: . -.
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition
otf 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.
0 Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a
lower gear. The lower gears help cool yo~~r engine and
transmission, and you can climb the hill better.
0 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.
0 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 nmuntains 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.
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What's the worst time for this'? "Wet ice." Very cold
snow
or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be
even more trouble because it may offer the
least traction
of all. You can get wet ice when it's about
freezing
(32°F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins to fill.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there. Whatever
me condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing.
or loose snow -- drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction. If
you accelerate
too fist, the drive wheels will spin and
polish the surface under the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle's stability
when
you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though
you have an anti-lock braking system, you'll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. See "Anti-Lock"
in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that's covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear
in
shaded areas where the sun can't reach: around
clumps
of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of
a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear.
If
you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you're actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
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