2004 GMC CANYON brakes

Driving in Water
Heavy rain can mean ash ooding, and ood waters
demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through
it. If it is deep enough to cover your wheel hubs,
axles or exhaust pipe, do not try it — you probably will
not get through. Also, water that deep can damage
your axle and other vehicle parts.
If the water is not too deep, drive slowly through it.
At faster speeds, water splashes on your ignition system
and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if
you get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your
tailpipe is under water, you will never be able to
start your engine. When you go through water,
remember that when your brakes get wet, it may take
you longer to stop.{CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be
dangerous. Deep water can sweep your vehicle
downstream and you and your passengers
could drown. If it is only shallow water, it can
still wash away the ground from under your
tires, and you could lose traction and roll the
vehicle over. Do not drive through rushing
water.
SeeDriving in Rain and on Wet Roads on page 4-31
for more information on driving through water.
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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 not, try to slow down before you
hit them.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They will not
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.
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Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in at or rolling terrain.If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable. SeeOff-Road
Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle on
page 4-15for information about driving off-road.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all uid
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 do not shift down, your brakes could
get so hot that they would not 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.
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{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 would not 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. Do not 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.
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What is the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” 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 is
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.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road.
Even though you have an anti-lock braking system,
you will want to begin stopping sooner than you would
on dry pavement. SeeBraking on page 4-6.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ne
until you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can not 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 are
actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
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Truck-Camper Loading Information
Your vehicle was not designed to carry a slide-in
camper.
Trailer Recommendations
You must subtract your hitch load from the CWR for
your vehicle. Weigh your vehicle with your trailer
attached, so that you won’t go over the GVWR or the
GAWR.
You’ll get the best performance if you spread out the
weight of your load the right way, and if you choose the
correct hitch and trailer brakes.
For more information, seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-60
later in this section.
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab
General Motors is aware that some vehicle owners may
consider having the pickup box removed and a
commercial or recreational body installed. However, we
recommend that conversions of this type not be done
to pickups. Owners should be aware that, as
manufactured, there are differences between a chassis
cab and a pickup with the box removed which may
affect vehicle safety. For specic information on
this pickup, contact GM Customer Assistance.
SeeCustomer Assistance Offices on page 7-4.
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Towing a Trailer
{CAUTION:
If you do not 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 that would
not be covered by your warranty. Always follow
the instructions in this section and check with your
dealer for more information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.To identify what the vehicle trailering capacity is for your
vehicle, you should read the information in “Weight of
the Trailer” that appears later in this section.
If yours was built with trailering options, as many are,
it’s ready for heavier trailers. But trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means
changes in handling, acceleration, braking, durability
and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. 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.
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Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brake – and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions
for the trailer brakes so you’ll be able to install,
adjust and maintain them properly.
Your trailer’s brake system can tap into the vehicle’s
hydraulic brake system only if:
The trailer parts can withstand 3,000 psi
(20 650 kPa) of pressure.
The trailer’s brake system will use less than
0.02 cubic inch (0.3 cc) of uid from your vehicle’s
master cylinder. Otherwise, both braking systems
won’t work well. You could even lose your brakes.
If everything checks out this far, then make the brake
uid tap at the port on the master cylinder that
sends uid to the rear brakes. But don’t use copper
tubing for this. If you do, it will bend and nally break off.
Use steel brake tubing.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains, electrical connector, lamps,
tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and then
apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
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