lock CHEVROLET TRACKER 1996 Workshop Manual

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 chlld 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 can’t; there isn’t room.
That’s the time for evasive action -- steering around
the problem.
Your Geo can perform very well in emergencies
like
these. First apply your brakes -- but, unless you have
anti-lock, not
enough to lock your wheels. (See
“Braking in Emergencies’’ earlier in this section.) 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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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 Geo’s three
control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels aren’t
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 and an acceleration skid are 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’ll
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.
mle driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your
best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or braking (including engine braking 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.
If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember: It
helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have
anti-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels are
no longer rolling), release enough pressure
on the brakes
to get the wheels rolling again. This restores steering
control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when you
have
to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are rolling,
you will have steering control.
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Driving Guidelines
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 two-wheel-drive vehicles any more than
low-slung sports cars are designed to perform
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.
Off-Road Driving with Your Geo
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 are
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.
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Environmental Concerns
Off-road driving can provide wholesome and satisfying
recreation. However, it also raises environmental concerns. Geo recognizes these concerns and urges
every off-roader to follow these basic rules for
protecting the environment:
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Always use established trails, roads and areas that
have been specially set aside for public off-road
recreational driving; obey all posted regulations.
Avoid any driving practice that could damage the
environment -- shrubs, flowers, trees, grasses -- or
disturb wildlife (this includes wheel-spinning,
breaking down trees or unnecessary driving through
streams or over soft ground).
Always carry a litter bag
. . . make sure all refuse is
removed from any campsite before leaving.
Take extreme care with open fires (where permitted),
camp stoves and lanterns.
Never park your vehicle over
dry grass or other
combustible materials that could catch fire from
the
heat of the vehicle’s exhaust system.
Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going
to a remote 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 before you
go into the wilderness.
Off-road driving does require some new and different
driving skills.
Here’s what we mean.
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, hands,
feet and body, you’ll need
to respond to vibrations and
vehicle bounce.
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Driving on Off-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.
Tke are some hills that simply can’t be driven, no
matter how well built the vehicle.
‘ A CAUTION:
Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle. If
you drive up them, 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.
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
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can easily see 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.
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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 that 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, gullies,
troughs and exposed rocks because they
are more susceptible to the effects of erosion.
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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
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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
to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in
REVERSE (R).
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
PARK (P) (or, shift to
NEUTRAL (N) if your
vehicle has
a manual transmission) and restart the
engine. Then, shift to REVERSE
(R), release the
parking brake, and slowly back down the hill as
straight as possible in REVERSE (R).
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 and maneuver
as you back down. It’s best that you
back down the hill with your wheels straight rather
than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel
too far to the left or right will increase the possibility
of a rollover.
Here are some things you
must not do if you stall, or
are about to stall, when going up a hill.
NEUTRAL (N) (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.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle. Then
apply the parking brake. Shift to REVERSE (R), release
the parking brake, and slowly back straight down.
a 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 straight down the hill.
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Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A: Yes! These are important because if you ignore them
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you could lose control and have a serious accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take
you
across 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
NEUTRAL (N), 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.
Unless you have anti-lock: Avoid braking
so hard that
you lock
the wheels when going downhill. If your
wheels
are locked, you can’t steer your vehicle. If your
wheels lock
up during downhill braking, you may feel
the vehicle starting to slide sideways. To regain your
du-ection, just ease
off the brakes and steer to keep the
front
of the vehicle pointing straight downhill.
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.
Shift to PARK (P) (or to NEUTRAL (N) with the
Apply the parking brake.
manual transmission) and, while still braking, restart
the engine.
Shift back to a low gear, release the parlung brake,
If the engine won’t start, get out and get help.
and drive straight down.
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Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However,
if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have
a very slippery situation. You’ll
have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be
very careful. What’s 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’s about
freezing
(32 OF; 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.
Unless you have the anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to brake very gently,
too. (If you do have anti-lock,
see “Anti-Lack” in the Index. This system improves
your vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road.) Whether you have the anti-lock braking
system or not, you’ll want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement.
Without anti-lock brakes,
if you feel your vehicle begin to slide, let up on the
brakes a little.
Push the brake pedal down steadily to get
the most traction
you can.
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Remember, unless you have anti-lock, if you brake so
hard that your wheels stop rolling, you’ll just slide.
Brake
so your wheels always keep rolling and you can
still steer.
0 Whatever your braking system, allow greater
following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On
an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: 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’re actually on
the
ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow.
Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers
safe:
0 Turn on your hazard flashers.
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Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you’ve been stopped by the
snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers,
burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
-- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
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 can’t 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
doesn’t collect there.
Open
a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away
from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
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