brake CHEVROLET BLAZER 1994 2.G Owner's Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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 ‘4P’ (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.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you’ll want to consider a number of
things:
0 How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain vehicle control?
0 What’s the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery? Hard-packed dirt?
Gravel?
0 Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs? Boulders?
0 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.
4- 19

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
h11. 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
brake.
Shift to “P’ (Park) (or to Neutral with the manual transmission) and,
while still braking, restart the engine.
Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight
down.
If the engine won’t start, get out and get help.
4-20

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 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 In Water
Light rain causes no special off-road driving problems. But heavy rain can
mean flash flooding, and flood waters demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through it. If it’s deep
enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust pipe, don’t try it
- you
probably won’t get through. Also, water that deep can damage your axle and
other vehicle parts.
If the water isn’t too deep, then drive through it slowly. At fast speeds, water
splashes on your ignition system and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also
occur if you get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your tailpipe is
under water, you’ll never be able to start your engine. When you go through
water, remember that when your brakes get wet, it may take you longer to
stop.
4-23

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the underbody, chassis or
under the hood. These accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings cleaned and checked.
These substances can cause glazing and uneven braking. Check
the body
structure, steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust system for
damage. Also, check the
fuel lines and cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due
to off-road use. Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule for additional information.
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.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlights
behind you.
space between
you and other vehicles.
up
only so much road ahead.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights can light
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
4-24

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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. 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.
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.
4-26

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
0 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.
0 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.
0 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.
0 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.
0 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.
4-31

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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°F; 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.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability
to make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though you have an anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement. See
“Anti-lock” in the Index.
0 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.
4-33

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Before towing, you should:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Place the automatic transmission in "P" (Park) or the manual
3. Firmly attach the vehicle being towed to the tow vehicle. Refer to the
transmission
in the lowest gear (1st gear).
hitch manufacturer's instructions.
4. Place the transfer case shift lever in "N" (Neutral).
NOTICE:
Removal of either propeller shaft is unnecessary.
1. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle being towed is firmly
attached to the tow vehicle.
2. Insert the ignition key into the ignition switch and turn it one notch
forward
of the LOCK position. This places the key into the OFF
position, which unlocks the steering column while preventing battery
drain. Unlocking the steering
column will allow for proper movement
of the front wheeldtires during towing.
NOTICE:
You should exercise extra care whenever towing another vehicle.
4-36

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg) loaded, then it needs
its own brakes
- and they must be adequate. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Your trailer brakes system can tap into vehicle’s hydraulic brake system
except:
Don’t tap into your vehicle’s brake system
if the trailer’s brake system will
use more than 0.02 cubic inch (0.3~~) of fluid from your vehicle’s master
cylinder.
If it does, both braking systems won’t work well. You could even
lose your brakes.
Will the trailer parts take
3,000 psi (20 650 kPa) of pressure? If not, the
trailer brake system must not be used with your vehicle.
If everything checks out this far, then make the brake fluid tap at the
port on
the master cylinder that sends fluid
to the rear brakes. But don’t use copper
tubing for this. If
you do, it will bend and finally break off. Use steel brake
tubing.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you’ll want
to get to know your rig. Acquaint yourself
with the feel of handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle
you are driving is now a good
deal longer and not nearly
so responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector, lights, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This lets
you check your electrical connection at the same time.
4-40

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure, and
that
the lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
Following Disfance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoid situations that
require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll need
to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer to the left, just move that hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right. Always
back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
4-41