2009 SATURN OUTLOOK brake

Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can
be more effective than braking. For
example, you come over a hill and
nd 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. These problems can be avoided
by braking — if you can stop in time.
But sometimes you cannot stop in
time because there is no room.
That is the time for evasive
action — steering around the
problem.
The vehicle can perform very well in
emergencies like these. First, apply
the brakes. SeeBraking on
page 4-3. It is better to remove as
much speed as possible from a
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 holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock
positions, it can be turned 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
The vehicle’s right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while 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
the vehicle straddles the edge of the
pavement.
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Turn the steering wheel
3 to 5 inches, 8 to 13 cm, (about
one-eighth turn) until the right front
tire contacts the pavement edge.
Then turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Passing
Passing another vehicle on a
two-lane road can be dangerous. To
reduce the risk of danger while
passing:
Look down the road, to the sides,
and to crossroads for situations
that might affect a successful
pass. If in doubt, wait.
Watch for traffic signs,
pavement markings, and lines
that could indicate a turn or an
intersection. Never cross a solid
or double-solid line on your side of
the lane.
Do not get too close to the vehicle
you want to pass. Doing so can
reduce your visibility.
Wait your turn to pass a slow
vehicle.
When you are being passed, ease
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 the 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.
If the 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, the 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,
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.
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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
the 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 Antilock Brake
System (ABS) helps avoid only the
braking skid.Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than
day driving because some drivers
are likely to be impaired — by alcohol
or drugs, with night vision problems,
or by fatigue.
Night driving tips include:
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Reduce headlamp glare by
adjusting the inside rearview
mirror.
Slow down and keep more space
between you and other vehicles
because headlamps can only
light up so much road ahead.
Watch for animals.
When tired, pull off the road.
Do not wear sunglasses.
Avoid staring directly into
approaching headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all glass
on your vehicle clean — inside
and out.
Keep your eyes moving,
especially during turns or curves.
No one can see as well at night as
in the daytime. But, as we get
older, these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver might need
at least twice as much light to see
the same thing at night as a
20-year-old.
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Driving in Rain and on
Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or owing water.
{CAUTION
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
owing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through owing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under your vehicle’s
tires so they 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.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
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Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on at or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
Keep the vehicle serviced
and in good shape.
Check all uid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
Going down steep or long hills,
shift to a lower gear.
{CAUTION
If you do not shift down, the
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 the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{CAUTION
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing
down and they could get so hot
that they would not work well.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
You would then have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in
gear when going downhill.
Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
Top of hills: Be alert — something
could be in your lane (stalled car,
accident).
Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
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Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 32°F
(0°C) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently
so traction is not lost. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels
to spin and makes the surface under
the tires slick, so there is even
less traction.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.
TheStabiliTrak®System on
page 4-5improves the ability to
accelerate on slippery roads,
but slow down and adjust your
driving to the road conditions. When
driving through deep snow, turn
off the traction control part of
the StabiliTrak
®System to help
maintain vehicle motion at lower
speeds.
TheAntilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-4improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on a
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement.Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can occur
on otherwise clear roads in shaded
areas. The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. Avoid
sudden steering maneuvers and
braking while on ice.
Turn off cruise control, if equipped,
on slippery surfaces.
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ground. Dolly towing is towing the
vehicle with two wheels on the
ground and two wheels up on a
device known as a dolly.
Here are some important things to
consider before recreational vehicle
towing:
What is the towing capacity of the
towing vehicle? Be sure to read
the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
What is the distance that will be
travelled? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how
long they can tow.
Is the proper towing equipment
going to be used? See your
dealer/retailer or trailering
professional for additional advice
and equipment recommendations.
Is the vehicle ready to be towed?
Just as preparing the vehicle for a
long trip, make sure the vehicle is
prepared to be towed. SeeBefore
Leaving on a Long Trip on
page 4-13.
Dinghy Towing
If the vehicle is front-wheel-drive, it
can be dinghy towed from the
front. These vehicles may also be
towed by putting the front wheels on
a dolly. See “Dolly Towing” later
in this section.
If the vehicle is all-wheel-drive, it can
be dinghy towed from the front.
These vehicles can also be towed by
placing them on a platform trailer
with all four wheels off of the ground.
These vehicles cannot be towed
using a dolly.For vehicles being dinghy towed, the
vehicle should be run at the
beginning of each day and at each
RV fuel stop for about ve minutes.
This will ensure proper lubrication of
transmission components. Re-install
the fuse to start the vehicle.
To tow the vehicle from the front
with all four wheels on the ground:
1. Position the vehicle to tow
and then secure it to the towing
vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission to P (Park)
and turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Turn the ignition to
ACC/ACCESSORY.
5. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
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6. To prevent the battery from
draining while the vehicle is being
towed, remove the 50 amp
BATT1 fuse from the underhood
fuse block and store in a safe
location. SeeUnderhood
Fuse Block on page 5-94.
7. Release the parking brake.
Notice:If the vehicle is towed
without performing each of
the steps listed under “Dinghy
Towing,” the automatic
transmission could be damaged.
Be sure to follow all steps of
the dinghy towing procedure prior
to and after towing the vehicle.
Notice:If 65 mph (105 km/h)
is exceeded while towing
the vehicle, it could be damaged.
Never exceed 65 mph (105 km/h)
while towing the vehicle.Once the destination is reached:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Reinstall the 50 amp BATT1 fuse
to the underhood fuse block.
3. Shift the transmission to
P (Park), turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF and remove the
key from the ignition.
4. Disconnect the vehicle from the
towing vehicle.
Notice:Do not tow a vehicle
with the front drive wheels on the
ground if one of the front tires
is a compact spare tire. Towing
with two different tire sizes on the
front of the vehicle can cause
severe damage to the
transmission.Dolly Towing (All-Wheel-Drive
Vehicles)
All-wheel-drive vehicles must not be
towed with two wheels on the
ground. To properly tow these
vehicles, they should be placed on
a platform trailer with all four
wheels off of the ground or dinghy
towed from the front.
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