2007 CHEVROLET TRAIL BLAZER steering

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 nd that your right wheels have dropped
off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you
are 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 the steering
wheel to go straight down the roadway.
320

If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow
vehicle, wait your turn. But take care that
someone is not trying to pass you as you
pull out to pass the slow vehicle. Remember
to glance over your shoulder and check the
blind spot.
Check your vehicle’s 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 vehicle’s inside
mirror, activate the right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. Remember
that an outside convex mirror makes the vehicle
you just passed seem 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.
Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle
too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps
are not ashing, it might be slowing down or
starting to turn.
If you are 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 us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the
driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not 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 overdriving those conditions. But skids
are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your
vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid,
the wheels are not 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 is best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
322

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 want to slow down and adjust your
driving to these conditions. It is important to slow
down on slippery surfaces because stopping
distance is 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 reducing vehicle speed by
shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You might 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 mirrored surface — and slow down when
you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
helps avoid only the braking skid.Competitive Driving
See your warranty book before using your vehicle
for competitive driving. After reviewing your
warranty book, please see the GM Performance
Parts website or catalog for parts and equipment
required for competitive driving.
Notice:If you use your vehicle for competitive
driving, the engine may use more oil than it
would with normal use. Low oil levels can
damage the engine. Be sure to check the oil
level often during competitive driving and keep
the level at or near the upper mark that
shows the proper operating range on the
engine oil dipstick. For information on how to
add oil, seeEngine Oil on page 402.
Off-Road Driving (Except SS)
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have
four-wheel drive. Also, seeBraking on page 310.
If your vehicle does not have four-wheel drive,
you should not drive off-road unless you are
on a level, solid surface.
323

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 will need more distance for braking,
especially since you are on an unpaved
surface.
{CAUTION:
When you are 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 are 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.
327

Surface Obstacles:Unseen or hidden obstacles
can be hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut, or
bump can startle you if you are 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 is more discussion of these
subjects later.
Will you have to stop suddenly or change
direction quickly?
When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain,
keep a rm grip on the steering wheel. Ruts,
troughs, or other surface features can jerk
the wheel out of your hands if you are not
prepared.When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other
obstacles, the wheels can leave the ground. If this
happens, even with one or two wheels, you
cannot control the vehicle as well or at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it is
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 is not.
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 reexes, 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.
SeeDrunken Driving on page 307.
328

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 rm grip on the
steering wheel.
Get a smooth start up the hill and try to
maintain your speed. Do not use more power
than you need, because you do not want
the wheels to start spinning or sliding.
{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.
Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible.
If the path twists and turns, you might want to
nd another route.
Ease up on your speed as you approach the
top of the hill.
Attach a ag 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 are there.
Use your headlamps even during the
day. They make your vehicle 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.
330

Q:What should I do if my vehicle stalls,
or is about to stall, and I cannot 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 is what youshoulddo:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle
and keep it from rolling backwards. Also,
apply the parking brake.
If the engine is still running, shift the
transmission to REVERSE (R), release
the parking brake, and slowly back down
the hill in REVERSE (R).
If the engine has stopped running, you will 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 will be able to tell if the
wheels are straight and maneuver as you back
down. It is best that you back down the hill with
the 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 youmust notdo if you stall,
or are about to stall, when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting
into NEUTRAL (N) to rev-up the engine
and regain forward momentum. This will not
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 is steep
enough to cause you to roll over if you turn
around. If you cannot make it up the hill, you
must back straight down the hill.
331

Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow, or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow, or sand, the wheels
will not get good traction. You cannot accelerate
as quickly, turning is more difficult, and you
will need longer braking distances.
It is best to use a low gear when you are in
mud —the deeper the mud, the lower the gear.
In really deep mud, the idea is to keep your vehicle
moving so you do not get stuck.
When you drive on sand, you will sense a change
in wheel traction. But it will depend upon how
loosely packed the sand is. On loosely packed
sand, such as on beaches or sand dunes, the tires
will tend to sink into the sand. This has an effect
on steering, accelerating, and braking. Drive
at a reduced speed and avoid sharp turns
or abrupt maneuvers.Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire
traction. On these surfaces, it is 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.
337