1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE steering

Power Rear Quarter Windows
(If Equipped)
I This button, located in the
c overhead console
C switchbank, is used for
C opening and closing the
rear quarter windows.
Press the top ribbed side of the button to open the
windows; both windows will open. The windows can
be opened fully or only a portion depending on how
long the button is pushed.
Press the bottom symbol side
of the button to close
both windows.
Rear Side Panels (Cargo Van)
The windows on the cargo van are opaque glass.
These operate the same as the rear side windows
in the regular van.
Horn
You can sound the horn by pressing the horn symbols on
your steering wheel.
Tilt Wheel
A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before you drive. You can also raise it to the
highest level to give your legs more room when you exit
and enter the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the
steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering
wheel to a comfortable
level, then release the lever
to lock the wheel
in place.
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Thrn SignaVMultifunction Lever Turn and Lane Change Signals
4
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes your:
0 Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
0 Headlamp HighLow Beam Changer
0 Windshield Wiper and Washer Control
0 Cruise Control (Option)
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow
starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete
your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrow
flashes faster than normal, a signal bulb may be burned
out and other drivers won’t see your
turn signal.
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0 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.
4-2
4-3 4-6
4-6
4-1
1
4-13
4-13
4- 15
4- 16 Defensive Driving
Drunken Driving
Control
of a Vehicle
Braking
Steering
Off-Road Recovery
Passing
Loss of Control
Driving at Night 4-18
4-2
1
4-22
4-23
4-24
4-24
4-26
4-30
4-33 Driving
in Rain and on Wet Roads
City Driving
Freeway Driving
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Highway Hypnosis
Hill and Mountain Roads
Winter Driving
Loading Your Vehicle
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 perceprlon 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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This light should come
on briefly when you start #- -
:TCS: 1 0
the engine. If it stays
on
or comes on while you
are driving, there’s a
problem with your traction
d control system.
See “Traction Control System Warning Light” in the
Index. When this warning light
is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes
on
whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to. (You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice or snow. See “Rocking Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
7
C
C
C
(
L
To turn the system off, press
the
TCS symbol on the
bottom
of the button in the
center console switchbank.
The indicator light on the
traction control button will
go
off.
If the system is limiting wheel spin when you press the
button,
the indicator light will go off, but the system will
not turn
off until there is no longer a current need to
limit wheel spin. You can turn the system back
on at any
time by pressing the button again. The traction control
system warning light should go
off.
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.
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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.
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 ever
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. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too
much
of those places. You can lose control.
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.
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.
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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 between
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 vehicle 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 Passing
You may find 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. 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 affect your passing
patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait for a better time.
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 traf3c.
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