1997 GMC JIMMY Owner's Manual

Driving Uphill
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I ,A CAUTAN:
Turning or driving across steep hills can hc
dangerous. You could lose traction, slide
sideways, and possibly roll over. You could be
seriously injured
or killed. When driviug up hills,
always try to go straight up.
[ A CAI
Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can
cause
an accident. There could be a drop-off,
embankment,
cliff, or even another vehicle. You
could
be seriously injured or killed. As you near
the
top of a hill, slow; down and stay alert.
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If you have a nlanual transfer case shift lever,
shifting the transfer case
to NEUTRAL (N) can
cause your whicle to roll even if the transmission
is in PARK (P) (,or, if you have the manual
transmission, even
if you’re in gear). This is
because the NEUTRAL (N) position on the
transfer case overrides the transmission.
If you
are going to leave your vehicle, set the parking
brake and shift the transmission to
PARK (Pj (or,
put your manual transmission in FIRST (1)).
Rut do not shift the transfer case to the
NEUTRAI, (N) position. Leave the transfer case
in the
2HI,4HI or 4LO position.
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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.

Q=
A:
What if I'm driving across an incline that's not
too steep,
but I hit some loose gravel and start to
slide downhill. What should
I do?
Stalling on an Incline
if your vehicle stalls when you're crossing an incline, be
SLW yo11 (and your passengers) get out on the uphill
side.
evet1 if the tloor there is harcler to open. If you get
out on the downhill side and the vehicle starts to roll
over, you'll be right in its path.
It ~OLI have to walk down the slope, stay out of the path
the vehicle will take
if it does roll o\w.
Getting out on
the downhill (low) side of a vehicle
stopped across an incline is dangerous. If' the
vehicle rolls over, you could be crushed
or killed.
Always get out on the uphill (high) side of the
vehicle and stay
well clear of the rollover path.
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Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wl~ecls
won't get
good traction. You ca11.t accelerate ;IS quickly,
turning
is nm-e difficult, and you'll need longer
braking distances.
It's best to use
a low gear when you're in mud -- the
deeper the mud, the lower the gear.
In really deep mud.
the idea is to keep your vehicle moving
so ~OLI don't
get stuck.
When
you drive on sand, you'll sense a change in wheel
traction. But it will depend upon how loosely p~~ked the
sand is. On loosely prncked sand (as on beaches or sand
dunes) your tires will tend
to sink into the sand. This has
a11 effect on steering. accelerating and braking. You may
want
to reduce the air pressure in your tires slightly
when driving on sand. This will ilnprove traction.
Hard packed snow and
ice offer the worst tire traction.
On these surfaces, it's very easy to lose control. On wet
ice, for example, the traction is
so poor that you will
have difficulty accelerating. And if you do get moving.
poor steering and difficult braking
can C~LIS~ you to slide
out
of colltl*ol.
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or ws can be
dangerous. Underwat.er springs, currents under
the ice, or sudden thaws can weaken the ice. Your
vehicle could
fall through the ice and you and
your passengers could drown. Drive your vehicle
on safe surfaces
only.
Driving in Water
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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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