1998 GMC SIERRA brake

The anti-lock system can change the brlzke pressure faster
than any driver could. The computer is programmed
to
make the most of available tire and road conditions.
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly. Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the
time you need
to get your foot
up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance.
If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won’t have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle. suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room
up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti-lock work for you.
You may feel the
brakes vibrate, or you may notice some noise, but this is
normal. On vehicles
with four-wheel drive, your
anti-lock brakes work at all times
-- whether you are in
two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive.
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.
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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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Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass
while you’re awaiting
an opportunity. For one thing,
following too closely reduces your area
of vision,
especially if you’re following a larger vehicle.
Also, you
won’t have adequate space if the vehicle ahead suddenly
slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start
to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t
get too close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes
to move into the
other lane. If
the way is clear to pass, you will have a
“running start” that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.
If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone
isn’t trying to
pass you as you pull
out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember
to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and
start your
left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When
you are far enough
ahead
of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that if
your right outside mirror
is convex, the vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting
to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead
of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
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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 vehicle’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 and an acceleration skid are 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 skid 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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Off-Road Driving with Your
Four-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have
four-wheel drive.
Also, see “Anti-Lock Brakes“
in the Index.
If your vehicle doesn’t have four-wheel drive, you
shouldn’t drive off-road unless you’re on a level,
solid surface.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But
it does have some
definite hazards. The greatest of these is the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left
the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes aren’t
marked. Curves aren’t banked. There are
no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill.
In
short, you’ve gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that’s
why it’s very important that you read this guide. You’ll
find many driving tips and suggestions. These
will help
make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example, be
sure to have all necessary maintenance and
service work done. Check
to make sure all underbody
shields
(if so equipped) are properly attached. Be sure
you read
all the information about your
four-wheel-drive vehicle
in this manual. Is there enough
firel‘?
Is the spare tire fully inflated? Are the fluid levels
up where
they should be‘? What are the local laws that
apply to off-roading where you’ll be driving?
If you
don’t know, you should check
with law enforcement
people
in the area. Will you be on someone’s private
land?
If so, be sure to get the necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
There are some important things to remember about
how to load your vehicle.
0 The heaviest things should be on the load floor and
forward of your rear axle. Put heavier items
as far
forward
as you can.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off-road terrain doesn’t toss things around.
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What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about
to stall, and I can’t make it up the hill?
A: If this happens, there are some things you should
do, and there
are some things you must not do.
First, here’s what you
should do:
0 Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it
from rolling backwards.
Also, apply the parking brake.
0 If your engine is still running, shift the transmission
to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in REVERSE (R).
0 If your engine has stopped running, you’ll need to
restart
it. With the brake pedal depressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK
(P) (or, shift to NEUTRAL (N) if your
vehicle has a manual transmission) and restart the
engine. Then, shift to REVERSE (R), release the
parking brake, and slowly back down the hill as
straight as possible in REVERSE (R).
0 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 not do if you stall, or are
about to stall, when going up a hill.
0 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.
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@ 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. Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL
(N) can
cause your vehicle 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.
You or
someone else could be injured.
If you are going to
leave your vehicle, set the parking brake and
shift the transmission to PARK
(P) (or, put your
manual transmission in FIRST
(1)). But do not
shift the transfer case to the NEUTRAL (N)
position. Leave the transfer case in the
2 Wheel,
4 High or 4 Low position.
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Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you’ll want to
consider
a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain
vehicle control?
What’s the surface like? Smooth‘? Rough‘? Slippery?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surfxe obstacles’? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
What’s at the bottom of the hill‘? Is there a hidden
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.
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
driving down a hill?
A: Yes! These are important because if you
0
0
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.
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