2007 GMC SAVANA brake

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 cannot; there is not room.
That is the time for evasive action — steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes.
SeeBraking on page 232. 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.
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•Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and
lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might
indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your
pass. A broken center line usually indicates it is
all right to pass, providing the road ahead is
clear. Never cross a solid line on your side of
the lane or a double solid line, even if the road
seems empty of approaching traffic.
•Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you are awaiting an opportunity. For
one thing, following too closely reduces your
area of vision, especially if you are following a
larger vehicle. Also, you will not have adequate
space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or
stops. Keep back a reasonable distance.
•When it looks like a chance to pass is coming
up, start to accelerate but stay in the right lane
and do not get too close. Time your move so
you will be increasing speed as the time comes
to move into the other lane. If the way is clear to
pass, you will have a running start that more
than makes up for the distance you would lose
by dropping back. And if something happens to
cause you to cancel your pass, you need only
slow down and drop back again and wait for
another opportunity.
•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
your vehicle’s passenger side outside mirror is
convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem
to be 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
flashing, it may 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.
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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,
your 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.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 will 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 reducing vehicle speed 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 mirrored surface — and slow down when
you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
helps avoid only the braking skid.
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The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see.
Even if your windshield wiper blades are in good
shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see road
signs and traffic signals, pavement markings, the
edge of the road, and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good
shape and keep your windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled with washer fluid. Replace your
windshield wiper inserts when they show signs of
streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or
when strips of rubber start to separate from the
inserts.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They
may 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.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 cannot, try to slow
down before you hit them.
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 are going fast enough. When your
vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact
with the road.
Hydroplaning does not 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 dimple the water’s
surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds.
There just is not a hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down
when it is raining.
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Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different
from driving in flat 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.
•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.
{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 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.
•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.
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop
on a slippery road. Even though you have ABS,
you will want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System (ABS) on page 233.
•Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
•Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
fine 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 cannot reach, such as 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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Dinghy Towing
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Notice:If you tow your vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground, the drivetrain
components could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
Do not tow your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground.
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not be towed
with all four wheels on the ground.
Two-wheel-drive transmissions have no provisions
for internal lubrication while being towed.
All-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with
all four wheels on the ground. To properly
tow these vehicles, they should be placed on a
platform trailer with all four wheels off the ground.
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. Do not tow
an all-wheel-drive vehicle if any of its wheels
will be on the ground.
Dolly Towing
Rear Towing (Rear Wheels Off the Ground)
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Use the following procedure to tow your vehicle
from the rear:
1. Drive the vehicle onto the dolly.
2. Firmly set the parking brake. SeeParking
Brake on page 128for more information.
3. Put the automatic transmission in PARK (P).
4. Follow the dolly manufacturer’s instructions
to attach and secure the vehicle being
towed to the dolly and then the loaded dolly to
the tow vehicle. Make sure the wheels are
straight before towing.
Use an adequate clamping device to ensure
that the front wheels are locked into the
straight position.
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