Page 378 of 570
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 re ections 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.
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 cannot avoid deep
puddles or standing water, drive through them
very slowly.
378
ProCarManuals.com
Page 383 of 570
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir
full? Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you
checked all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses
clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough
for long-distance driving? Are the tires
all in ated to the recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather
outlook along your route? Should you
delay your trip a short time to avoid a major
storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as highway
hypnosis? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the
wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of
awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road
with the same scenery, along with the hum of the
tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the
rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make
you sleepy. Do not let it happen to you! If it does,
your vehicle can leave the road in less than a
second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis?
First, be aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with
a comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead
and to the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service, or parking area and take a nap, get
some exercise, or both. For safety, treat
drowsiness on the highway as an emergency.
383
ProCarManuals.com
Page 384 of 570
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.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check
all uid levels and also the brakes, tires,
cooling system, and transaxle. 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.
384
ProCarManuals.com
Page 385 of 570
{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 transaxle, 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.
385
ProCarManuals.com
Page 389 of 570
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be
careful.
{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 cannot 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 does not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side
of the vehicle that is 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.
389
ProCarManuals.com
Page 390 of 570
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.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck,
you will need to spin the wheels, but you do not
want to spin your wheels too fast. The method
known as rocking can help you get out when you
are stuck, but you must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or others
could be injured. And, the transaxle or
other parts of the vehicle can overheat.
That could cause an engine compartment
re or other damage. When you are stuck,
spin the wheels as little as possible. Do not
spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h)
as shown on the speedometer.
Notice:Spinning the wheels can destroy
parts of your vehicle as well as the tires.
If you spin the wheels too fast while shifting
the transaxle back and forth, you can destroy
the transaxle. SeeRocking Your Vehicle to
Get It Out on page 391.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 480.
390
ProCarManuals.com
Page 399 of 570
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify the
trailering capacity of vehicle, you should read
the information in “Weight of the Trailer” that
appears later in this section. 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 is 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,
transaxle, 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. The trailer also adds
considerably to wind resistance, increasing the
pulling requirements.If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed
limit restrictions, having to do with trailering.
Make sure your rig will be legal, not only
where you live but also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this information can be
state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. See “Hitches”
later in this section.
Do not tow a trailer at all during the rst
500 miles (800 km) your new vehicle is driven.
Your engine, axle, or other parts could be
damaged.
During the rst 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, do not drive over 50 mph
(80 km/h) and do not make starts at full
throttle. This helps your engine and other parts
of your vehicle wear in at the heavier loads.
You can use THIRD (3) or, as you need to, a
lower gear when towing a trailer. Operating
your vehicle in THIRD (3) when towing a trailer
will minimize heat buildup and extend the
life of your transaxle.
399
ProCarManuals.com
Page 403 of 570
Because your rear axle now weighs 3,100 lbs
(1 406 kg), you can only put 900 lbs (408 kg)
on the rear axle without exceeding RGAWR.
The effect of tongue weight is about 1.5 times the
actual weight. Dividing the 900 lbs (408 kg) by
1.5 leaves you with being able to handle only
600 lbs (272 kg) of tongue weight. Since tongue
weight is usually at least 10 percent of total
loaded trailer weight, you can expect that the
largest trailer your vehicle can properly handle is
6,000 lbs (2 721 kg).
It is important that you make sure your vehicle
does not exceed any of its ratings — GCWR,
GVWR, RGAWR, Maximum Trailer Rating
or Tongue Weight. The only way to be sure you
are not exceeding any of these ratings is to weigh
your vehicle and trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are in ated to the
upper limit for cold tires. You will nd these
numbers on the Certi cation/Tire label at the rear
edge of the driver’s door or seeLoading Your
Vehicle on page 391. Then be sure you do not go
over the GVW limit for your vehicle, including
the weight of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It is important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by, and rough
roads are a few reasons why you will need
the right hitch. Here are some rules to follow:
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended
for hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or
other bumper-type hitches to them. Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to
the bumper.
Will you have to make any holes in the body of
your vehicle when you install a trailer hitch?
If you do, remember to seal the holes later
when you remove the hitch. If you do not seal
them, deadly carbon monoxide (CO) from your
exhaust can get into your vehicle. SeeEngine
Exhaust on page 151. Dirt and water can, too.
403
ProCarManuals.com
