GMC YUKON DENALI 2003 Owners Manual

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely
to be
impaired
- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue. Here are some tips on
night driving.
Drive defensively.
0 Don't drink and drive.
Since you can't see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you're tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
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 may require at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your
night vision. For example,
if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise
to wear sunglasses. Your
eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But
if
you're driving, don't wear sunglasses at night. They may
cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also
make a
lot of things invisible.
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You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps.
It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes
to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver
who doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps),
slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep
your eyes moving; that way, it’s easier
to pick out dimly
lighted objects.
Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness
- the inability to see in dim light - and
aren’t even aware of it.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can’t stop, accelerate or turn
as well
because your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on
dry roads. And,
if your tires don’t have much tread left,
you’ll get even less traction.
It’s always wise to go
slower and be cautious
if rain starts to fall while you are
driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your
reflexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement.
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The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy
rain can make it harder to see road signs and
traffic signals, pavement markings, the edge of the road
and even people walking.
It’s wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape
and keep your windshield washer tank filled with
washer fluid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on
the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to
separate from the inserts. Driving too fast through large
water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems,
too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid
puddles. But
if you can’t, try to slow down before
you hit them.
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won’t
work as well in a quick stop and may cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control
of
the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle
of water
or a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly
until your brakes work normally.
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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’re going fast enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t 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 reflections
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 isn’t 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 can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water,
drive through them very slowly.
Drivhg Through Flowing Water
~~
I
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
If you try to drive through flowing water, as you
might at a low water crossing, your vehicle can
be carried away.
As little as six inches of
flowing water can carry away a smaller vehicle.
If this happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Don’t ignore police
warning signs, and otherwise be very cautious
about trying to drive through flowing water.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlamps - not just your
parking lamps
- to help make you more visible to
others.
* Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you
pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear
room ahead, and be prepared to have your
view restricted by road spray.
* Have good tires with proper tread depth. See Tires
on page 5-55.
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City Driving One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You’ll want
to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention
to traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into
an unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
most large cities.
You’ll save time and energy.
See Freeway Driving on page
4-33.
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner is busy enough
to need it. When a light turns green, and just before
you start
to move, check both ways for vehicles
that have
not cleared the intersection or may
be running the red light.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross
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Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the
safest of all roads. But they have their own special rules. The most important advice
on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the
same speed most of the other drivers are driving.
Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow.
Treat the left lane on
a freeway as a passing lane.
At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway.
If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to check
traffic. Try to determine where you expect
to blend with
the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to the
prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check your
mirrors and glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate
if it’s slower.
Stay in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle
in
your “blind” spot.
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Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect
to
move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move
to the
proper lane well in advance.
If you miss your exit, do
not, under any circumstances,
stop and back up. Drive
on
to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according
to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are
going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh
- such as after a day’s
work
- don’t plan to make too many miles that first
part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes
you can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready
to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts
in dealerships all across North America. They’ll be
ready and willing
to help if you need it. dere
are some things you can check before a trip:
e
e
e
e e
e
e
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservior 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 inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s 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?
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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. Don’t
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
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
comfortably
cool interior.
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.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable. See Operating
Your All- Wheel-Drive Vehicle
Off Paved Roads on
page
4- 16 for information about driving off-road.
4-35

0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transmission. These parts can work hard
on mountain roads.
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.
_. you c tt : ft down, your brakes could get
so hot that they wouldn’t 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.
L,ast,,,, ,ownh,,, NEUTrlmL (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 wouldn’t 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 uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your
engine and transmission, and you can climb the
hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t 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.
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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.
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your
vehicle.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a
supply of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter
outer clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red
cloth and a couple of reflective warning triangles. And,
if
you will be driving under severe conditions, include a
small bag of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of
burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you
properly secure these items in your vehicle.
4-37