2001 CHEVROLET TRACKER lock

4-12 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
-- but, unless you have
anti
-lock, not enough to lock your wheels. See ªBraking
in Emergenciesº 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.

4-15
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.
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
ªmirrored surfaceº
-- and slow down when you have
any doubt.
If you have the anti
-lock braking system, remember: It
helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have
anti
-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels are
no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the brakes
to get the wheels rolling again. This restores steering
control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when you
have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are rolling,
you will have steering control.

4-16
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.
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 fuel? 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.

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.

4-18 Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going
to a remote area. Know the terrain and plan your route.
You are much less likely to get bad surprises. Get
accurate maps of trails and terrain. Try to learn of any
blocked or closed roads.
It's also a good idea to travel with at least one other
vehicle. If something happens to one of them, the other
can help quickly.
Does your vehicle have a winch? If so, be sure to read
the winch instructions. In a remote area, a winch can be
handy if you get stuck. But you'll want to know how to
use it properly.
Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving
It's a good idea to practice in an area that's safe and
close to home before you go into the wilderness.
Off
-road driving does require some new and different
driving skills. Here's what we mean.
Tune your senses to different kinds of signals. Your
eyes, for example, need to constantly sweep the terrain
for unexpected obstacles. Your ears need to listen for
unusual tire or engine sounds. With your arms, hands,
feet and body, you'll need to respond to vibrations and
vehicle bounce.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.

4-20 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, constantincline 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
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.

4-22
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) (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).
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.

Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) (or depressing the clutch, if you
have a manual transmission) to ªrev
-upº 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.

4-25
Q:Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because if you
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 pressed
down in a manual shift. This is called
ªfree
-wheeling.º Your brakes will have to do all the
work and could overheat and fade.

Unless you have anti
-lock: Avoid braking so hard
that you lock the wheels when going downhill. If
your wheels are locked, you can't steer your vehicle.
If your wheels lock up during downhill braking, you
may feel the vehicle starting to slide sideways. To
regain your direction, just ease off the brakes and
steer to keep the front of the vehicle pointing
straight downhill.
Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It's much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
it happens going downhill, here's what to do.

Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.

Shift to PARK (P) (or to NEUTRAL (N) with the
manual transmission) and, while still braking, restart
the engine.

Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.

If the engine won't start, get out and get help.

4-41
What's the worst time for this? ªWet ice.º Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the
least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it's about
freezing (32
F; 0
C) and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there.Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
-- drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and
polish the surface under the tires even more.
Unless you have the anti
-lock braking system, you'll
want to brake very gently, too. If you do have anti
-lock,
see ªAnti
-Lockº in the Index. This system improves
your vehicle's stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Whether you have the anti
-lock braking
system or not, you'll want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement. Without anti
-lock brakes,
if you feel your vehicle begin to slide, let up on the
brakes a little. Push the brake pedal down steadily to get
the most traction you can.