CHEVROLET BLAZER 1993 Owners Manual

Driving Guidelines (Utility Models)
This multipurpose passenger vehicle is defined as a utility vehicle in
Consumer Information Regulations issued by the National Highway \
Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the United States Department of
Transportation. Utility vehicles have higher ground clearance and\
a narrower
track to make them capable
of performing in a wide variety of off-road
applications. Specific design characteristics give them a higher center of
gravity than ordinary cars. An advantage of the higher ground clearance is a
better view
of the road allowing you to anticipate problems. They are not
designed for cornering at the same speeds as conventional 2-whe\
el drive
vehicles any more than low-slung sports cars are designed to p\
erform
satisfactorily under off-road conditions. If at
all possible, avoid sharp turns or
abrupt maneuvers.
As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate this
vehicle correctly may result in
loss of control or vehicle rollover.
OffmRoad Driving with Your Four-Wheel
Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel drive. (Also, see
“Anti-lock Brakes” in the Index.)
If your vehicle doesn’t have four-wheel drive,
you shouldn’t drive off-road unless you’re on
a level, solid surface.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have some definite hazards.
The greatest of these is the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the great North American road system behind.
Traffic lanes aren’t marked. Curves aren’t banked. There a\
re no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill
or downhill. In short, you’ve gone right
back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that’s why it’s very important
that you read this guide. You’ll find many driving tips and suggestions. These
will help make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For example, be sure to
have all necessary maintenance and service work done. Be sure you read \
all
the information about your four-wheel drive vehicle in this manual.
Is there
enough fuel?
Is the spare tire fully inflated? Are the fluid levels up where
they should be? What are the local laws that apply to off-roading where you’ll
be driving?
If you don’t know, you should check with law enforcement people
in the area. Will you be on someone’s private land?
If so, be sure to get the
necessary permission.
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Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
There are some important things to remember about how to load \
your
vehicle.
The heaviest things should be on the load floor and forward of your rear
axle. Put heavier items as far forward as you can.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on the off-road terrain
doesn’t toss things around.
rn CAUTION
m m
Cargo on the load floor piled higher than the seatbacks can be
thrown forward during
a sudden stop. You or your passengers
could
be injured. Keep cargo below the top of the seatbacks.
Unsecured
cargo on the load floor can be tossed about when
driving over rough terrain.
You or your passengers can be struck
by flying objects. Secure the cargo properly.
Heavy loads on the roof raise the vehicle’s center
of gravity,
making
.it more likely to roll over. You can be seriously or fatally
injured
if the vehicle rolls over. Put heavy loads inside the cargo
area, not on the roof. Keep
cargo in the cargo area as far
forward and
low as possible. I
You’ll find other important information in this manual. See “Vehicle Loading”,
“Luggage Carrier” and “Tires” in the Index.
Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going to a \
:emote area.
Know the terrain and plan your route. You are much less likely
to get bad
surprises. Get accurate maps of trails and terrain.
Try to learn of any blocked
or closed roads.
It‘s also a good idea to travel with at least one other vehicle. If something
happens to one of them, the other can help quickly.
Does your vehicle have a winch?
If so, be sure to read the winch
instructions. In a remote area,
a winch can be handy if you get stuck. But
you’ll want to know how to use it properly.
Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving
It’s a good idea to practice in an area that’s safe and close to home befor\
e
you go into the wilderness. Off-road driving does require some \
new and
different driving skills. Here’s what
we mean.
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Your Driving and the Road
Tune your senses to different kinds of signals. Your eyes, for example, need
to constantly sweep the terrain for unexpected obstacles. Your ears need to
listen for unusual tire or engine sounds. With your arms, hand\
s, feet, and
body you’ll need to respond
to vibrations and vehicle bounce.
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’ll need more distance for braking, especially since you’\
re on an
unpaved surface.
A
When you’re driving off road, bouncing and quick changes in I
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 your 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\
.
Surface Obstacles
Unseen or hidden obstacles can be hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut, or
bump can startle you
if you’re 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?
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Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s 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 firm grip on the
steering wheel. Ruts, troughs, or other surface features can jerk the wheel
out of your hands
if you’re not prepared.
When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles, your wheels can leave
the ground.
If this happens, even with one or two wheels, you can’t control
the vehicle as well or at all.
Because you will
be on an unpaved surface, it’s 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 spee\
d limits or
signal lights. You have to use your
own good judgment about what is safe
and what isn’t.
I CAUTION
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any road. And this is
- b certainly true for off-road driving. At the very time you need special
alertness and driving skills, your reflexes, perceptions and jud\
gment
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. (See “Drunken Driving” in the
Index.)
Driving On Oft-Road Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up, down, or across a hill. Driving safely on
hills requires good judgment and an understanding of what your vehicle can
and can’t do. There are some hills that simply can’t be driven, no matter how
well-built the vehicle.
I CAUTION
A Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle. If you drive up them,
62 you will stall. If you drive down them, you can’t control your speed. If
you drive across them, you will roll over. You could be seriously
injured or killed.
If you have any doubt about the steepness, don’t
drive the hill.
4-27

Your Driving and the Road
Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it’s one of those hills that’s
just too steep to climb, descend, or cross. Steepness can be hard to judge.
On a very small hill, for example, there may be a smooth, constant incline
with only a small change in elevation where you can easily se\
e all the way
to the top. On a large hill, the incline may get steeper as you near the top,
but you may not see this because the crest of the hill is hidden by bushes,
grass, or shrubs.
Here are some other things to consider as you approach a
hill.
e
e
e
e
e
0
Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get sharply steeper\
in
places?
Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the surface cause tire
slipping?
Is there a straight path up
or down the hill so you won’t have to make
turning maneuvers?
Are there obstructions
on the hill than can block your path (boulders,
trees, logs or ruts)?
What’s beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an embankment, a drop-off, a
fence? Get out and walk the hill
if you don’t know. It’s the smart way to
find out.
Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have ruts, gu\
llies, troughs
and exposed rocks because they are more susceptible to the eff\
ects of
erosion.
Driving Uphill
Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you need to take some
special steps.
e
e
e
Use a lower gear and get a firm grip on the steering wheel. \
Get a smooth start up the hill and try to maintain your speed. Don’t use
more power than you need, because you don’t want your wheel\
s to start
spinning or sliding.
Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible. If the path twists and
turns, you might want to find another route.
4-28

h
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
I straight up.
Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of the hill.
Attach a flag to the vehicle to make you more visible to approaching
Sound the horn as you approach the top of hill to let opposing traffic
Use your headlights even during the day. They make you more visible to
traffic on trails
or hills.
know you’re there.
oncoming traffic.
I CAUTION
’ rf Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can cause an
1 the top of a hill, slow down and stay alert.
ccident.
There could be a drop-off, embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be seriously injured or killed.
As you near
Q: What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and I can’t
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’s what you should do:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it from rolling
backwards.
Also, apply the parking brake.
If your engine is still running, shift the transmission into reverse, release
the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill in reverse.
If your engine has stopped running, you’ll need to restart it. With the
brake pedal depressed and the parking brake still applied, shift the
transmission to
P (Park) (or, shift to N (Neutral) if your vehicle has a
manual transmission) and restart the engine. Then, shift
to reverse,
release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill
in reverse.
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand on the steering
wheel at the
12 o’clock position. This way, you’ll be able to tell if your
wheels are straight or turned to the left or right as you back down.
4-29

Here are some things you must not do if you stall, or are about to stall,
when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into N (Neutral) (or
depressing the clutch,
if you have a manual transmission) to “rev-up” the
engine and regain forward momentum. This won’t 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 into reverse, release the parking brake, and slowl\
y back 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’s steep enough to
cause you to roll over if you turn around. If you can’t make it up the
hill, you must back down the hill.
Q: Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the hill and decide I just
can’t
do it. What should I do?
A: Set the parking brake, put your transmission in P (Park) (or the manual
transmission in first gear), and turn
off the engine. Leave the vehicle and go
get some help. Exit
on the uphill side and stay clear of the path the vehicle
would take
if it rolled downhill. Do not shift the transfer case to N (Neutral)
when you leave the vehicle. Leave
it in some gear.
Shifting the transfer case to N (Neutral) can cause your vehicle to
manual transmission, even if you’re in gear). This is because the N
(Neutral) position on the transfer case overrides the transmission. If
you are going to leave your vehicle, set the parking brake and shift
the transmission to P (Park) (or, put your manual transmission in first
gear). But do not shift the transfer case to the N (Neutral) position.
rn ‘ roll even if the transmission is in P (Park) (or, if you Rave the
I Leave the transfer case in the 2 Wheel, 4 High or 4 Low position. I
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you’ll want to consider a number of
things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain vehicle control?
What’s the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery? Hard-packed \
dirt?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs? Boulders?
Gravel?
4-30

What’s at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden creek bank or even a
river bottom with large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to keep your vehicle
headed straight down, and use a low gear. This way, engine drag can help
your brakes and they won’t have to do all the work. Descend slowly, keeping
your vehicle under control at all times.
’ [ Heavy braking when going down a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could cause
loss of control and a serious
accident. Apply the brakes lightly when descending a hill and use a
I low gear to keep vehicle speed under control. 1
Q: Are there some things I should not do when driving down a hill?
A: Yes! These are important because if you ignore them you could lose
control and have
a serious accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you &%C>Ss the incline of the
hill.
A hill that’s not too steep to drive down may be too steep to drive
across. You could roll over
if you don’t drive straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in N (Neutral), or with the clutch
pedal depressed in a manual shift. This is called “free-wheeling.” Your
brakes will have to do all the work and could overheat and fade.
Q: Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A: It’s much more likely to happen going uphill, But if it happens going
downhill, here’s what to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes. Apply the parking
Shift to P (Park) (or to Neutral with the manual transmission) and, while
Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight
brake.
still braking, restart the engine.
down.
If the engine won’t start, get out and get help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across the incline of a hill. If
this happens, you have to decide whether to try
to drive across the incline.
Here are
some things to consider:
4-3 1

Your Driving and the Road
0
0
For
A hill that can be driven straight up or down may be too steep to drive
across. When you go straight up or down a hill, the length o\
f the wheel
base (the distance from the front wheels to the rear wheels) reduces the
likelihood the vehicle will tumble end over end. But when you drive
across an incline, the much more narrow track width (the dist\
ance
between the left and right wheels) may not prevent the vehicl\
e from
tilting and rolling over.
Also, driving across an incline puts more weight
on the downhill wheels. This could cause a downhill slide
or a rollover.
Surface conditions can be a problem when you drive across a
hill. Loose
gravel, muddy spots, or even wet grass can cause your tires to slip
sideways, downhill.
If the vehicle slips sideways, it can hit something that
will trip
it (a rock, a rut, etc.) and roll over.
Hidden obstacles can make the steepness
of the incline even worse. If
you drive across a rock with the uphill wheels, or if the do\
wnhill wheels
drop into a rut or depression, your vehicle can tilt even more.
reasons like these, you need to decide carefully whether to try to drive
across an incline. Just because the trail goes across the incline doesn’t mean
you have to drive it. The last vehicle to try it might have rolled over.
CAUTION
A
Driving across an incline that’s too steep will make your vehicle roll
over. You could be seriously injured or killed.
If you have any doubt
about the steepness of the incline, don’t drive across it. \
Find another route instead.
I
Q: What if I’m driving across an incline that’s not too steep, but I hit
some loose gravel and start
to slide downhill. What should I do?
A: If you feel your vehicle starting to slide sideways, turn down\
hill. This
should help straighten out the vehicle and prevent the side sl\
ipping. However, a much better way to prevent this is to get out and “walk the course”
so you
know what the surface is like before you drive
it.
Stalling on an Incline
If your vehicle stalls when you’re crossing an incline, be sure you (and your
passengers) get out on the uphill side, even
if the door there is harder to
open.
If you get out on the downhill side and the vehicle starts to roll over,
you’ll be right in its path.
If you have to walk down the slope, stay out of the path the vehicle will take
if it does roll over.
4-32

AM440002
I Getting out on the downhill (low) side of a vehicle stopped across an
- , incline is dangerous. If the vehicle rolls over, you could be crushed
or killed. Always get out on the uphill (high) side of the vehicle and
stay well clear of the rollover path. F
Driving In Mud, Sand, Snow, Or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wheels won’t get\
good traction.
You can’t accelerate as quickly, turning is more difficult, and \
you’ll need
longer braking distances.
It’s best to use a low gear when you’re in mud-the deeper the \
mud, the
lower the gear. In really deep mud, the idea is
to keep your vehicle moving
so you don’t get stuck.
When you drive on sand, you’ll sense a change in wheel tra\
ction. But
it will
depend upon how loosely packed the sand is. On loosely packed \
sand (as
on beaches or sand dunes) your tires will tend to sink into the\
sand. This
has an effect on steering, accelerating, and braking. You may want to reduce
the air pressure
in your tires slightly when driving on sand. This will improve
traction.
Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction. On these surfaces, it’s
very easy to lose control. On wet ice, for example, the tract\
ion 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.
4-33