2002 CHEVROLET TRACKER brake

4-30 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
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.

4-33
Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems, too.
The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles.
But if you can't, try to slow down before you hit them.
CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won't work
as well in a quick stop and may cause pulling to
one side. You could lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or
a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until
your brakes work normally.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the water.
This can happen if the road is wet enough and you're
going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning,
it has little or no contact with the road.

4-39
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable. See ªOff
-Road
Drivingº in the Index for information about
driving off
-road.

Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.

Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you
go down a steep or long hill.
CAUTION:
If you don't shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn't work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope.
CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn't work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.

Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to
a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine and
transmission, and you can climb the hill better.

Stay in your own lane when driving on two
-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don't swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.

As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.

You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no
-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding roads.
Be alert to these and take appropriate action.

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 (32F; 0C)
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.
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.

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.

4-45
Follow these steps:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Shift your automatic transmission into PARK (P),
or your manual transmission to SECOND (2).
3. With the ignition key in the ON position, move the
transfer case to NEUTRAL and make sure the
4WD light on the instrument panel cluster is off.
See ªFour
-Wheel Driveº in the Index.
4. Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the
steering wheel.
5. Release the parking brake.
NOTICE:
If you tow your four-wheel-drive vehicle from
the front, make sure to move the transfer case
into NEUTRAL or your vehicle could be badly
damaged and the damage would not be covered
by your warranty.
Stop towing every 200 miles (300 km) and start the
engine. Leave the transfer case shift lever in NEUTRAL.
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.
NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not
exceed 55 mph (90 km/h), or your vehicle could
be badly damaged.

4-46
CAUTION:
Shifting a four-wheel-drive vehicle's transfer
case into NEUTRAL can cause your vehicle to
roll even if the transmission is in Park (P), for an
automatic transmission, or if your vehicle is in
gear, for a manual transmission. You or others
could be injured. Make sure the parking brake
is firmly set before you shift the transfer case
to NEUTRAL.
Dolly Towing
To tow your vehicle from the rear, do the following:

4-47
The best way to tow your vehicle is from the rear.
Follow these steps:
1. Put the rear wheels on a dolly.
NOTICE:
Do not tow your vehicle with the rear wheels
in contact with the ground, or the transmission
could be damaged.
2. If your vehicle is a four-wheel-drive vehicle,
turn the ignition key to ON, move the transfer
case lever into NEUTRAL and make sure the 4WD
light on the instrument panel cluster is turned off.
See ªFour
-Wheel Driveº in the Index.
3. Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the
steering wheel.
4. Make sure the front wheels are facing straight
forward and secure the steering wheel with a
steering wheel clamping device designed for towing.
NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not
exceed 55 mph (90 km/h), or your vehicle could
be badly damaged.
CAUTION:
Shifting a four-wheel-drive vehicle's transfer
case into NEUTRAL can cause your vehicle to
roll even if the transmission is in PARK (P), for
an automatic transmission, or if your vehicle is
in gear, for a manual transmission. You or others
could be injured. Make sure the parking brake
is firmly set before you shift the transfer case
into NEUTRAL.

4-50
Towing a Trailer
CAUTION:
If you don't use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull a trailer.
For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the brakes
may not work well
-- or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously injured. Pull a trailer
only if you have followed all the steps in this section.
Ask your dealer for advice and information about
towing a trailer with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your dealer for
important information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in ªWeight of the Trailerº
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That's the reason for this section. In it are many
time
-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that
of your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load
-pulling components such as the engine,
transmission, wheel assemblies and tires are forced
to work harder against the drag of the added weight.
The engine is required to operate at relatively higher
speeds and under greater loads, generating extra heat.
What's more, the trailer adds considerably to wind
resistance, increasing the pulling requirements.