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5
The latch plate should click securely into the
buckle and release when the release button is
pushed firmly. Wash off any dirt or mud that
could affect operation. Have a Yamaha dealer
repair as necessary for proper operation.
A crash can damage the restraint systems in
your vehicle. A damaged restraint system
may not properly protect the person using it,
resulting in serious injury or death in a crash.
To help make sure your restraint systems are
working properly after a crash, have them in-
spected and any necessary replacements
made as soon as possible.EBU31810Passenger handholdCheck that the handhold bar and its supports
are in good condition. Confirm that the lock-
ing pins are securely fastened, and then push
and pull on the handhold to make sure that it
is not loose.
EBU31820SteeringPark on level ground. Turn the steering wheel
right and left. Check for excessive free play,
abnormal noises, or a rough feeling. Have a
Yamaha dealer repair as necessary for proper operation.EBU31831Fittings and fastenersAlways check the tightness of chassis fittings
and fasteners before a drive. Take the vehicle
to a Yamaha dealer or refer to the Service
Manual for correct tightening torque.EBU31840Instruments, lights and switchesCheck that all instrument s, lights and switch-
es are working properly. Correct if necessary.
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EBU31922On-Command drive knobThe vehicle handles differently in each of the drive modes (“2WD”, “4WD” and “DIFF LOCK”). For
example, the vehicle requires more effort to turn in “DIFF LOCK” than in “2WD”. Always stop the
vehicle before changing the position of the On-Command drive knob. The meter display changes
according to the selected drive mode. The differen t drive indicators, and the differential gear lock
indicator light “DIFF. LOCK” come on as follows:
Knob position Indication Drive mode
No indicator light.
“2WD” (two-wheel drive): Power is supplied to the rear
wheels.
“4WD” (four-wheel drive): Power is supplied to the rear and
front wheels.
“DIFF LOCK” (four-wheel drive with the differential gear
locked): Power is supplied to the rear and front wheels and
the differential gear is locked.
Unlike in four-wheel drive, all wheels turn at the same
speed.
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TIPWhen the knob is set to “DIFF LOCK” or “4WD”, the differential gear lock indicator and indica-
tor light will flash until the differential gear is completely locked or unlocked.
When the indicator and indicator light are flashi ng, turning the steering wheel back and forth
will help the differential gear lock to engage or disengage.
Driving with the differential gear not properly engaged or disengaged (e.g., when the indicator
and indicator light are flashing) will cause the vehicle speed to be limited until the differential
gear is completely engaged or disengaged. U2MB7BE0.book Page 6 Thursday, March 3, 2016 11:46 AM
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7
EBU31950
BASIC GUIDE FOR SAFE USE
EBU31961As a Wolverine owner you are responsible for
the safe and proper operation of this vehicle.
Read this chapter and review the safety in-
structions in Chapter 2 before operating the
vehicle. Use these chapters and the labels on
the vehicle to instruct new operators and pas-
sengers. Do not allow anyone else to operate
the vehicle or ride as a passenger if you are
unsure that he/she is willing and able to follow
these instructions.
WARNING
EWB03340Follow these instructions to reduce your
risk of an accident and to reduce the risk
of serious injury or death in the event of an
accident.
EBU33511KNOW YOUR VEHICLEThis off-road vehicle will handle and maneu-
ver differently from cars, ATVs, go-carts, golf-
cars and grounds-keeping vehicles. The
Wolverine has higher ground clearance and other features to handle rugged terrain, and,
as a result, can overturn in situations where
some vehicles may not. This would include
vehicles made primarily for pavement, roads,
improved paths, or grounds-keeping. If you
do not use care in maneuvering the
Wolverine, you can cause it to roll over even on flat, open areas.
Doing things with a Wolverine that some peo-
ple do for thrills in other vehicles (such as
sideways sliding, skidding, back-wheel slid-
ing, or donuts) have led to side rollovers.
These rollovers can result in crushed limbs
and other serious injuries or death to drivers
or passengers.
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Floorboard
The floorboard allows you to brace your feet,
which helps you keep your body in the vehicle
in the event of an accident or rollover. Keep
your feet on the floorboard during operation.
Steering wheel
Keep both hands on the steering wheel. Do
not hold the steering wheel with your thumbs
inside the rim. Keep your palms on the out-
side of the steering wheel. Similar to other off-
road vehicles, if the Wolverine hits a deep rut
or large obstacle, the steering wheel couldbriefly jerk in one direction or back and forth
as the tires and vehicle respond to the obsta-
cle. This quick motion could injure your
thumbs or wrist if your thumbs or hand(s) are
inside the steering wh
eel. Grip the steering
wheel so that your thumbs will not be hit by
the spokes. As an example, see the illustra-
tion.U2MB7BE0.book Page 11 Thursday, March 3, 2016 11:46 AM
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Become familiar with the way the vehicle feels
in low and high ranges, first in two-wheel
drive “2WD” and then in four-wheel drive
“4WD” and four-wheel drive with the differen-
tial locked “DIFF LOCK”. Steering may take
more effort in four-wheel drive with the differ-
ential locked “DIFF LOCK”. Also practice
driving in reverse.
Take the time to learn basic operation of the
vehicle before attempting more difficult ma-
neuvers. Getting ready to ride
Perform the Pre-Operation Checks on page
5-1. Follow the instructions starting on page
6-2 to start the engine.
Turning
Use care in turns – turning the steering wheel
too far or too fast can result in loss of control
or a rollover. Slow down before entering
turns. When making tight turns from a stand-
still or at slow speeds, avoid sudden or hard
acceleration. Driving aggressively or making
abrupt maneuvers even on flat, open areas
can cause side rollovers. Avoid sideways slid-
ing, skidding, or back-wheel sliding, and nev-
er do donuts. If you feel the Wolverine begin
to slide sideways or the back wheels slide
during a turn, steer into the direction of the
slide, if possible, and gradually let off the ac-
celerator pedal to regain directional control
and avoid rollover. For example, if you feel the
back of the vehicle start
to slide to your right,
steer to the right.U2MB7BE0.book Page 14 Thursday, March 3, 2016 11:46 AM
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7-15
7
If you think or feel that the vehicle may tip or
roll, keep your body completely inside the
protective structure of the vehicle:
Brace yourself by pressing your feet firmly
on the floorboard and keep a firm grip on
the steering wheel or passenger handhold.
Do not put your hands or feet outside of the
vehicle for any reason. Do not try to stop a
tipover using your arm or leg.
Accelerating
With the engine idling in neutral and your foot
on the brake, shift the drive select lever into
low or high. NOTICE: Do not shift from low
to high or vice versa without coming to a
complete stop and waiting for the engine
to return to normal idle speed – damage to
the engine or drive train may occur. Then
release the parking brake.
[ECB02160]
Press the
accelerator pedal slowly and smoothly. The
centrifugal clutch will engage and the vehicle
will begin to accelerate. Avoid higher speeds and sudden or hard ac-
celeration until you are thoroughly familiar
with the operation of your vehicle. Avoid sud-
den or hard acceleration in any turn.
Braking
When slowing down or stopping, take your
foot off the accelerator pedal and press the
brake pedal smoothly. Improper use of the
brakes can cause the tires to lose traction, re-
ducing control of the vehicle and increasing
the possibility of an accident.
Braking ability is affected by type of terrain. In
most cases, gradual application of the brakes
is more effective than
abrupt braking, partic-
ularly on loose surfaces, such as gravel. Al-
ways allow for greater braking distance on
rough, loose, or slippery surfaces.
Engine braking
Engine compression braking is designed to
assist you when operating your Wolverine off-
road. With this feature, the engine helps slow
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the vehicle down after you take your foot off
the accelerator. Engine braking is more no-
ticeable in four-wheel drive. Application of ve-
hicle brakes provides additional stopping
power.
Leaving the vehicle
Do not get out of the vehicle while the engine
is running and the drive select lever is in any
gear. There is a risk of injury because:
Children or others may accidentally press
the accelerator pedal.
Objects tossed into the vehicle may strike
the accelerator pedal.
The parking brake may not keep the vehicle
from accelerating.
Unwanted vehicle movement can cause seri-
ous injury or death, and it may be dangerous
to try to stop the vehicle. Parking on a flat area
When parking on a flat area, stop the engine
and shift the drive select lever into the neutral
position. Apply the parking brake to help pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling.
Parking on a slope
The parking brake acts only on the rear
wheels when in “2WD”. For the parking brake
to take effect on all four wheels, shift to “DIFF
LOCK” before stopping the engine.
If you park on a hill that is too steep, the vehi-
cle may roll out of control. Never park on hills
that are so steep you cannot walk up them
easily. If you must park on an incline, follow
these instructions:
1. Bring the vehicle to a stop by applying the brake pedal.
2. Put the vehicle in “DIFF LOCK”.
3. Turn the key to “ ” (off).
4. With the brake pedal applied, set the parking brake.U2MB7BE0.book Page 16 Thursday, March 3, 2016 11:46 AM