wheel Oldsmobile Bravada 2003 s Owner's Guide

Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far
enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front
in your inside mirror, activate your right lane
change signal and move back into the right lane.
(Remember that your right outside mirror is convex.
The vehicle you just passed may seem to be
farther away from you than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it
may be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
LOSS of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes,
steering and acceleration) don’t have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver
has
asked.
In any emergency, don’t 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 your vehicle’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 is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the Traction Assist System, remember: It
helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
If you do not have
this system, or
if the system is off, then an acceleration
skid
is also 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.
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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.
While 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.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Operating Your All-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle
Off Paved Roads
Many of the same design features that help make your
vehicle responsive on paved roads during poor
weather conditions
- features like the locking rear axle
and all-wheel drive
- help make it much better suited
for off-road use than a conventional passenger
car. Its higher ground clearance also helps your vehicle
step over some off-road obstacles. But your vehicle
doesn’t have features like special underbody shielding and a transfer case low gear range, things that are
usually thought necessary for extended or severe
off-road service. This guide is for operating your vehicle
off paved roads.
Also, see
Braking on page 4-6.
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
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. We recognize these concerns and urge every
off-roader to follow these basic rules for protecting
the environment:
e
e
e
e
e
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 liter 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 form
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.
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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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.
I
When you’re driving off-road, bouncing and
quick changes in direction can easily throw
you out of position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash.
So, whether you’re
driving on
or off the road, you and your
passengers should wear 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?
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 speed limits or
signal lights.
You have to use your own good judgment
about what is safe and what isn’t.
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any
road. And this is certainly true for off-road driving. At the
very time you need special alertness and driving
skills, your reflexes, perceptions and judgment 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 on page 4-2.
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 understanding of what your vehicle can and can’t
do. There are some hills that simply can’t be driven, no
matter how well bui he vehicle.
Man) ills are ~..-.ply .,o 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 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.
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Here are some other things to consider as you
approach a hill.
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.
Driving Uphill
Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you
need
to take some special steps.
Use a low 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 wheels
to start
spinning or sliding.
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Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible. If
the path twists and turns, you might want to find
another route.
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 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 traffic on trails or hills.
Sound the horn as you approach the top of the hill
to let opposing traffic know you’re there.
Use your headlamps even during the day. They
make you more visible to oncoming traffic.

Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed
can cause an accident. There could be a
drop-off, embankment, cliff, or even another
vehicle. You could be seriously injured or
killed.
As you near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
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
to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in REVERSE (R).
0 If your engine has stopped running, you’ll need to
restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK (P) 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.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) 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 to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back straight down.
0 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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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
PARK (P) 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.
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?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Boulders?
What’s at the bottom of the hill? Is there a 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.
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Heavy braki.., 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 low gear to keep
vehicle speed under control.
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
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). 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.
Apply the parking brake.
engine.
and drive straight down.
Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Shift to PARK (P) and, while still braking, restart the
Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
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:
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 of 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 distance
between the left and right wheels) may not prevent
the vehicle 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 it the downhill wheels drop into a rut
or depression, your vehicle can tilt even more.
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Getting out on the downhill (low) side ot 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.
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 traction. 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. Drive at a reduced speed and
avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction.
On these surfaces, it’s very east to lose control. On
wet ice, for example, the traction 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.
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or rivers can be
dangerous. Underwater springs, currents under the ice, or sudden thaws can weaken the
ice. Your vehicle could fall through the ice and
you and your passengers could drown. Drive
your vehicle on safe surfaces only.
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