1997 PONTIAC PONTIAC steering

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Section 4 Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions. We’ve also
included many other useful tips on driving.
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4-13 Defensive
Driving
Driving Drunk
Having Control
of Your Vehicle
Your Braking System Information
Anti-Lock Brake Information
Trac System
Braking in Emergencies
Steering Tips
Off-Road
Recovery Tips
Passing Other Vehicles 4-
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Losing Control of Your Vehicle
Night Driving
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Tips Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Avoiding Highway Hypnosis
Driving on Hills and Mountains
Winter Driving
If You’re Caught in
a Blizzard
Loading
Your Vehicle
Helpful Hints for Towing a Trailer
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Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work
at the places where
the tires meet the road.
Sometimes,
as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more
of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means
you can lose control
of your vehicle.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and
do it. That’s reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But
that’s only an average.
It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at
60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could
be a lot of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and
others
is important.
And,
of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface
of the road (whether it’s pavement or
gravel); the condition
of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of the
vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
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Braking in Emergencies
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 effort.
Variable Effort Steering (Option)
This steering system provides lighter steering effort
for parking and when driving at speeds below
20 mph
(32 km/h). Steering effort will increase at higher speeds
for improved road
feel.
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 eva
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.
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. Unless you have the Trac System
and the system is on, adding
the sudden acceleration can
demand too much
of those places. You can lose control.
Refer to “Trac System” in the Index.
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 road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you’ll want to go slower.
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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 betw,een
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 Pontiac can perform 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.
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.
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Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped
off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you’re driving.
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.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes
back into the right lane again.
A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can
suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents
-- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides and to
crossroads for situations that might af€ect your passing
patterns.
If you have any doubt whatsoever about
making a successful pass, wait for a better time.
Watch for traEc signs, p’avement markings and lines.
If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken
center line usually indicates
it’s all right to pass
(providing
the road ahead is clear). Never cross a solid
line on your side of the lane or a double solid line,
even if
the road seems empty of approaching traffic.
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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 Pontiac’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 is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the Trac System, remember: It helps avoid
only the acceleration skid. If
you do not have the Trac System, or if the system is
off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled by
easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
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 slud
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.
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Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you have the anti-lock braking system, you’ 11
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. See “Anti-Lock” in the Index.
0 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.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that
you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here
are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and
your passengers safe:
0 Turn on your hazard flashers.
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Driving with a Trailer Following Bistance
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel
of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you
are
driving is now a good deal longer an’d not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle
is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle
and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes
are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load
is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working, Stay
at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving
your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy bralung
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re
a good deal
longer, you’ll need to
go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just
move that hand
to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and,
if
possible, have someone guide you.
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