1998 CHEVROLET TRACKER steering wheel

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it’s one
of those hills that’s just too steep to climb, descend or
cross. Steepness can be hard to judge. On a very small
hill, for example, there may be a smooth, constant
incline with only a small change in elevation where you
can easily see all the way to the top. On a large hill, the
incline may get steeper as you near the top, but you may
not see this because the crest
of the hill is hidden by
bushes, grass or shrubs.
Here are some other things to consider
as you approach
a hill.
Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get sharply
Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the
steeper
in places?
surface cause tire slipping?
Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you
Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your won’t have to make turning maneuvers?
path (boulders, trees, logs or ruts)?
What’s beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an
embankment, a drop-off, a fence? Get out and walk the
hill if you don’t know. It’s the smart way to find out.
Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have
ruts, gullies,
troughs and exposed rocks because they
are more susceptible to the effects of erosion.
Driving Uphill
Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you
need to take some special steps.
Use a low gear and get a fm grip on the steering wheel.
Get a smooth start up the hill and try to maintain your
speed. Don’t use more power than you need, because
you don’t want your wheels to
start spinning or sliding.
Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible. If
the path twists and turns, you might want to find
another route.
I A CAUTION:
lhrning or driving across steep hills can be
dangerous.
You could lose traction, slide
sideways, and possibly roll over.
You could be
seriously injured or killed. When driving up hills,
always try to go straight
up.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the
12 o’clock position. This
way, you’ll be able to tell if your wheels are straight
and maneuver as you back down. It’s best that you
back down the hill with your wheels straight rather
than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel
too far to the left or right will increase the possibility
of a rollover.
Here
are some things you must nut do if you stall, or are
about to stall, when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL
(N) (or depressing the clutch, if you
have a manual transmission) to “rev-up” the engine
and regain forward momentum.
This won’t work.
Your vehicle will roll backwards very quickly and
you could go out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift to
REVERSE (R), release
the parking brake, and slowly back straight down.
Never attempt to turn around if you are about to stall
when going up a hill. If the hill is steep enough to
stall your vehicle, it’s steep enough to cause you to
roll over if you turn around.
If you can’t make it up
the hill, you must back straight down the hill.
Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down
the hill and decide
I just can’t do it. What
should
I do?
A: Set the parking brake, put your transmission in
PARK
(P) (or the manual transmission in
FIRST
(1)) and turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit on the uphill side and stay clear of the path the vehicle would
take if it rolled downhill. Do not shift the transfer
case to NEUTRAL, (N) when you leave the vehicle.
Leave it in some gear.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving in Mud, Sand, 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
After operation 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.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to
off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
Driving at Night
L ..
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Remember, unless you have anti-lock, if you brake so
hard that your wheels stop rolling, you’ll just slide.
Brake
so your wheels always keep rolling and you can
still steer.
Whatever your braking system, allow greater
following distance
on any slippery road.
0 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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Do not tow your vehicle with the rear wheels in
contact with the ground,
or the transmission
could be damaged.
2. Set the parking brake.
3. If your vehicle is a four-wheel-drive vehicle, set
your manual free-wheeling hubs to
FREE or unlock
your automatic freewheeling hubs. See “Four- Wheel
Drive”
in the Index.
4. Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the
steering wheel.
NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed
55 mph (90 km/h), or your vehicle could be
badly damaged.
Towil- - Your Vehicle from the Front
I
NOTICE:
If your vehicle has automatic freewheeling hubs
or two-wheel drive, do not tow it on all four
wheels.
If you do, your transmission could
be damaged.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle with manual
freewheeling hubs,
it can be towed from the front with
all four wheels on the ground. Follow these steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Set the parking brake.
Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the
steering wheel.
Shift your automatic transmission into
PARK (P), or
your manual transmission to SECOND
(2).
Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N).
Set the hubs to
FREE. See “Four-wheel Drive” in
the Index.
Release the parking brake.
Stop towing every
200 miles (300 km) and start
the engine. Leave the transfer case shift lever in
NEUTRAL (N). Shift your automatic transmission
to DRIVE (D); leave a manual transmission in
SECOND
(2) with the clutch engaged. Run the engine at
medium speed for one minute to circulate oil in the
transfer case.
Turn the ignition key to ACC. Now, you
can continue towing your vehicle.
NOTICE:
The front wheels transmit shocks during towing.
The steering column may not be strong enough to
withstand the shocks. Always unlock the steering
wheel before towing.
I NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed
50 mph (80 km/h), or your vehicle could be
badly damaged.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Following DisL --- ;e
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 braking
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.
Making mrns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike
soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other
objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
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