2002 GMC SAFARI light

4-18
Hydroplaning doesn't happen often. But it can if your
tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in one or
more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing on
the road. If you can see reflections from trees, telephone
poles or other vehicles, and raindrops ªdimpleº the
water's surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn't a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice is to slow down when it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
NOTICE:
If you drive too quickly through deep puddles
or standing water, water can come in through
your engine's air intake and badly damage your
engine. Never drive through water that is slightly
lower than the underbody of your vehicle. If you
can't avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive
through them very slowly.
Driving Through Flowing Water
CAUTION:
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
If you try to drive through flowing water, as you
might at a low water crossing, your vehicle can be
carried away. As little as six inches of flowing
water can carry away a smaller vehicle. If this
happens, you and the other vehicle occupants
could drown. Don't ignore police warning signs,
and otherwise be very cautious about trying to
drive through flowing water.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips

Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted
by road spray.

Have good tires with proper tread depth. See ªTiresº
in the Index.

4-19
City DrivingOne of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You'll want to watch out
for what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:

Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an
unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross
-country trip.

Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross
most large cities. You'll save time and energy.
See the next part, ªFreeway Driving.º

Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner is busy enough to
need it. When a light turns green, and just before you
start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have
not cleared the intersection or may be running the
red light.

4-20
Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too
-fast or
too
-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on a freeway as a passing lane.At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to
check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it's slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn't another vehicle in your
ªblindº spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to
the next exit.

4-24
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:

Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.

You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle.Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and
reflective warning triangles. And, if you will be driving
under severe conditions, include a small bag of sand, a
piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags to help
provide traction. Be sure you properly secure these
items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You'll
have a lot less traction or ªgripº and will need to be
very careful.

4-27
CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle. This
can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas to get
inside. CO could overcome you and kill you. You
can't see it or smell it, so you might not know it is in
your vehicle. Clear away snow from around the base
of your vehicle, especially any that is blocking your
exhaust pipe. And check around again from time
to time to be sure snow doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well
-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible.Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm,
you can get out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous
exercises every half hour or so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle
-- such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle towing
are known as ªdinghy towingº (towing your vehicle with
all four wheels on the ground) and ªdolly towingº (towing
your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and two wheels
up on a device known as a ªdollyº).
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with any of
its wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed,
see ªTowing Your Vehicleº in the Index.
NOTICE:
Towing an all±wheel±drive vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground, or even with only two of its
wheels on the ground, will damage drivetrain
components. Don't tow an all±wheel±drive
vehicle if any of its wheels will be on the ground.

4-33
Tow/Haul Mode
The tow/haul mode is a feature that assists when pulling
a heavy trailer. The purpose of the tow/haul mode is:

to reduce the frequency of shifts when pulling a
heavy trailer.

to provide the same shift feel when pulling a heavy
trailer as when the vehicle is unloaded.

to reduce the need to change throttle position when
pulling a heavy trailer.
This feature is turned on or off by pressing a button on
the column shift lever. When the feature is on, a light on
the instrument panel will illuminate to indicate that the
tow/haul mode has been selected.
See ªTow/Haul Mode Lightº in the Index. The tow/haul
mode is automatically turned off each time the vehicle
is started.The tow/haul mode is most effective when the vehicle
and trailer combined weight is at least 75% of the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the maximum
trailer weight rating for the vehicle. See ªGross Vehicle
Weight Ratingº and ªTrailer Weightº in the Index.
The tow/haul mode for hauling a heavy trailer is most
useful under the following conditions:

When driving through hilly terrain at speeds below
55 mph (88 km/h).

When driving in low speed or stop and go traffic
below 55 mph (88 km/h).

When driving in parking lots.
Operating in the tow/haul mode when not pulling a
heavy trailer will not cause damage to the vehicle,
but you may experience reduced fuel economy and
undesirable performance from the engine and
transmission. The tow/haul mode should be used
only when pulling a heavy trailer.

4-42 Trailer Wiring Harness
If you have the optional trailering package, your vehicle
will have an eight
-wire harness, including the center
high
-mounted stoplamp battery feed wire. The harness
is stored on the passenger's side of the vehicle near the
rear wheel well. This harness has a 30 amp battery
feed wire and no connector, and should be wired by
a qualified electrical technician. After choosing an
aftermarket trailer mating connector pair, have the
technician attach one connector to the eight
-wire trailer
harness and the other connector to the wiring harness on
the trailer. Be sure the wiring harness on the trailer is
taped or strapped to the trailer's frame rail and leave it
loose enough so the wiring doesn't bend or break, but
not so loose that it drags on the ground. The eight
-wire
harness must be routed out of your vehicle between the
rear door and the floor, with enough of the harness left
on both sides so that the trailer or the body won't pull it.
If you do not have the optional trailering package, your
vehicle will still have a trailering harness. The harness
is located near the passenger's side rear wheel well.
It consists of six wires that may be used by
after
-market trailer hitch installers.The technician can use the following color code chart
when connecting the wiring harness to your trailer.

Brown: Rear lamps.

Yellow: Left stoplamp and turn signal.

Dark Green: Right stoplamp and turn signal.

White (Heavy Gage): Ground.

Light Green: Back
-up lamps.

White (Light Gage): Center High
-Mounted
Stoplamp.

Blue: Auxiliary circuit (eight
-wire harness only).

Orange: Fused auxiliary (eight
-wire harness only).
Store the harness in its original place. Wrap the
harness together and tie it neatly so it won't
be damaged.

5-3
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. But please follow the numbered steps to do
it safely.
CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
dangerous because:

They contain acid that can burn you.

They contain gas that can explode or ignite.

They contain enough electricity to burn you.
If you don't follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt you.
NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that wouldn't be
covered by your warranty.
The ACDelco battery in your vehicle has a
built
-in hydrometer. Do not charge, test or jump
start the battery if the hydrometer looks clear
or light yellow. Replace the battery when there
is a clear or light yellow hydrometer and a
cranking complaint.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling
it won't work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn't a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.