1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER light

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts -- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if
you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes. If
you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops,
you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin
to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You may
hear a momentary motor
or clicking noise while this test
is going
on. This is normal. If
there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” in
the Index.
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.
4-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Off-Road Recovery
You may find that your right wheels have dropped off the
edge of a road onto the shoulder while you’re driving.
OFF - ROAD RECOVE
LEFT APPROX.
QUARTER TURN
SLOW DOWN
edge of paved surface
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:
0 “Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides and to
crossroads for situations that might affect your passing
patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever about
making a successful pass,
wait for a better time.
0 Watch for traffic signs, pavement 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.
4-11

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain, keep a
firm grip on the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs or other
surface features can jerk the wheel out of your hands
if
you’re not prepared.
When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles,
your wheels can leave the ground. If this happens, even
with one or two wheels, you
can’t control the vehicle as
well or at all.
Because you will be on
an unpaved surface, it’s
especially important to avoid sudden acceleration,
sudden turns or sudden braking.
In a way, off-road driving requires a different kind of
alertness from driving
on paved roads and highways.
There are no road signs, posted speed limits or signal
lights.
You have to use your own good judgment about
what is safe and what isn’t.
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any
road. And this is certainly true for off-road driving.
At
the very time you need special alertness and driving
skills, your reflexes, perceptions and judgment can be
affected
by even a small amount of alcohol. You could
have a serious
-- or even fatal -- accident if you drink
and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking.
See “Drunken Driving” in the Index.
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.
Many hills are simply too steep for any 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.
4-18

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you’ll want to
consider
a number of things:
0 How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain
What’s the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
0 What’s at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden
vehicle control?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Boulders?
creek bank or even
a river bottom with large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to
keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a low
gear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes and
they won’t have to do all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
0
0
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.
-
@ Are there some things I should not do when
A: Yes! These are important because if you
driving down a hill?
ignore them you could lose control and have a
serious accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you across the incline
of the hill. A hill that’s not too
steep to drive down may be
too steep to drive across.
You could roll over if
you don’t drive straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL
(N), or with the clutch pedal depressed
in a manual shift. This is called “free-wheeling.”
Your brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat
and fade.
4-22

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
Getting out on the downhill (low) side of
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.
Driving in d, md, Snow or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wheels
won’t get good traction.
You can’t accelerate as quickly,
turning
is more 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 you don’t
get stuck. When you drive on
sand, you’ll sense a change
in wheel
traction. But it
will depend upon how loosely packed the
sand
is. On loosely packed sand (as on beaches or sand
dunes) your tires will tend to sink into the sand. This has
an effect
on steering, accelerating and braking. You may
want to reduce the air pressure
in your tires slightly
when driving on sand. This will improve 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 cause
you to slide
out of control.
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or rivers can be
dangerous. Underwater 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.
4-25

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving in Water
Light rain causes no special off-road driving problems.
But heavy rain
can mean flash flooding, and flood
waters demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before
you drive through
it. If it’s deep enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles or
exhaust pipe, don’t try it
-- you probably won’t get
through. Also, water that deep can damage your axle
and other vehicle parts.
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 also occur
if you
get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your
tailpipe is under water, you’ll never be able to start your
engine. When you go through water, remember that
when your brakes get wet,
it may take you longer
to stop.
’ A CAUTION:
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.
~
See “Driving Through Water” in the Index for more
information on driving through water.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody, chassis or under the hood. These
accumulations can be
a fire hazard.
Aftc- ~ lperation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires and exhaust system
for damage. Also, check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
4-26

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to
off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired
-- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue. Rere
are some tips on night driving.
0 Drive defensively.
0 Don’t drink and drive.
0 Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
0 Since you can’t see as well, you may need to
glare
from headlamps behind you.
slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only
so much road ahead.
0 In remote areas, watch for animals.
0 If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do
in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example,
if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting
to night. But if you’re
driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down on glare from headlamps, but they also make
a lot
of things invisible.
4-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or
two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to
the dark. When you
are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who
doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse
by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when
you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way,
it’s easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and aren’t
even aware of it.
1 -I and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road,
you can’t stop, accelerate or turn as well because
your tire-to-road traction isn’t as
good as on dry roads.
And,
if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get
even less traction. It’s always wise to go slower and be
cautious
if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The
surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes are
tuned for driving
on dry pavement.
4-28