2000 GMC YUKON steering wheel

4-13
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.
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.
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.

4-15

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.
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 ªoverdrivingº 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.

4-16
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal. If you have the ªTraction Assist
System,º remember: It helps avoid only the acceleration
skid. If you do not have this 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 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
ªmirrored surfaceº
-- and slow down when you
have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti
-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving with Your
Four
-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have
four
-wheel drive.
Also, see ªAnti
-Lock Brakesº 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.
ªOff
-roadingº 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.

4-21
Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful
off
-road driving. One of the best ways to control your
vehicle is to control your speed. Here are some things to
keep in mind. At higher speeds:

you approach things faster and you have less time
to scan the terrain for obstacles.

you have less time to react.

you have more vehicle bounce when you drive
over obstacles.

you'll need more distance for braking, especially
since you're on an unpaved surface.
CAUTION:
When you're driving off-road, bouncing and
quick changes in direction can easily throw you
out of position. This could cause you to lose
control and crash. So, whether you're driving on
or off the road, you and your passengers should
wear safety belts.
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds
of terrain. You need to be familiar with the terrain and its
many different features. Here are some things to consider.
Surface Conditions. Off
-roading can take you over
hard
-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud,
snow or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering,
acceleration and braking of your vehicle in different
ways. Depending upon the kind of surface you are on,
you may experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction and longer
braking distances.
Surface Obstacles. Unseen or hidden obstacles can be
hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut or bump can startle you
if you're not prepared for them. Often these obstacles are
hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even the rise and fall of
the terrain itself. Here are some things to consider:

Is the path ahead clear?

Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?

Does the travel take you uphill or downhill?
(There's more discussion of these subjects later.)

Will you have to stop suddenly or change
direction quickly?

4-22
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 ªDrunken Drivingº 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.
CAUTION:
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.
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.

4-23
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 steeper in places?

Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the
surface cause tire slipping?

Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you
won't have to make turning maneuvers?

Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your
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 firm 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.
CAUTION:
Turning 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.

4-24

Ease up on your speed as you approach the top
of the hill.

Attach a flag to the vehicle to make you more visible
to approaching traffic on trails or hills.

Sound the horn as you approach the top of the hill to
let opposing traffic know you're there.

Use your headlamps even during the day. They make
you more visible to oncoming traffic.
CAUTION:
Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can
cause an accident. There could be a drop
-off,
embankment, cliff, or even another vehicle. You
could be seriously injured or killed. As you near
the top of a hill, slow down and stay alert.
Q: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:

Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it from
rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking brake.

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).

If your engine has stopped running, you'll need to
restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the parking
brake still applied, shift the transmission to PARK (P)
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).

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.

4-29 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.
CAUTION:
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.
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.