CHEVROLET S10 1993 2.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine with only a small change in elevation where you can easily see all the wa\
y
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.
0
0
0
e
0
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, 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 t\
o take some
special steps.
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.
3 CAUTION
Turning or driving across steep hills can lbe dangerous. You could
b 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. I
Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of the hill.
4-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
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 hill to let opposing traffic
know you’re there.
Use your headlights even during the day. They make you more v\
isible to
oncoming traffic.
* Drivilng to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can cause an
I 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. I
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 rever\
se, 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 R (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.
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.
4-28
I

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle. Then apply the
parking brake. Shift into reverse, release the parking brake, a\
nd slowly
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.
A
If you have a manual transfer case shift lever, shifting the \
transfer
case to
N (Neutral) can cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in
P (Park) (or, if you have the 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. Leave the
transfer case in the
2 WHEEL, 4 HIGH or 4 LOW position.
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?
Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs? Boulders?
What’s at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden creek bank or even a
river bottom with large rocks?
4-29

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
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.
A
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
low gear to keep vehicle speed under
1 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 in\
cline 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.
Avoid braking so hard that you lock the wheels when going downhill. If
your front 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 direction, just ease off the brakes and steer to
keep the front of the vehicle pointing straight downhill.
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 N (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.
4-30
If the engine won’t start, get out and get help.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 acro\
ss 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 dist\
ance
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 r\
ollover.
Surface conditions can be a problem when you drive across a h\
ill. 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 downhill wheels
drop into a rut or depression, your vehicle can tilt even mor\
e.
For 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
Driving across an incline that’s too steep will make your vehicle roll
over. Yolu could ble seriously injured or killed. If you h’ave any doubt
about the steepness of the incline, don’t drive
across it. Find another
route instead.
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 downhill. 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.
4-31

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
nds or rivers can be dangerous.
~;~:.cx :. 2’’
nderwater springs, currents under the ice, or sudden thaws can \
25
weaken the ice. Your vehicle could fall through the ice and you ad.
. your passengers could drown. Drive your vehicle on safe surface\
s
~~ : . I’ .: . :j/-
,. ,/ ., ‘!...,I:, I -
Driving In Water
Light rain causes no special off-road driving problems. But hea\
vy 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. S\
talling can also
occur
if you get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your tailp\
ipe is
under water, you’ll never be able to start your engine. Whe\
n you go through
water, remember that when your brakes get wet,
it may take you longer to
stop.
A
Driving through rushing water can be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehilcle downstream and you and your passengers could
drown.
If it’s only inches deep, it can still wash away the ground
from under your tires, and you could lose traction and roll the vehicle
over.
Don’t drive through rushing water.
4-33

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the underbodv\
. 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 th\
e body
structure, steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust syste\
m 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
AN450005
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. Remember, this is the most dangerous time.
Don’t drink and drive (See “Drunken Driving” in the Index for more on
this problem.)
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlights
behind you.
4-34

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep
more space between you and other vehicles. It’s hard to tell how fast
the vehicle ahead is going just by looking at its taillights.
@ Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights 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.
Night Wsion
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 headlights, but they also make a lot of things inv\
isible that should remain visible-such as parked cars, obstacles, pedestrians, or even trains
blocking railway crossings. You may want
to put on your sunglasses after you
have pulled into a brightly-lighted service or refreshment area. Eyes shielded
from that glare may adjust more quickly to darkness back on the road. But
be sure
to remove your sunglasses before you leave the service area.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights. 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 headlights), slow down a li\
ttle. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching lights.
If there is a line of opposing
traffic, make occasional glances over the line of headlights to make certain
that one of the vehicles isn’t starting to move into your lane. Once you are
past the bright lights, give your eyes time to readjust before\
resuming speed.
High Beams
If the vehicle approaching you has its high beams on, signal by flicking yours
to high and then back to low beam. This is the usual signal to lower the
headlight beams.
If the other driver still doesn’t lower the beams, resist the
temptation to put your high beams on. This only makes
two half-blinded
drivers.
4-35

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
On a freeway, use your high beams only in remote areas where you won’t
impair approaching drivers. In some places, like cities, using high beams is
illegal.
When you follow another vehicle on a freeway or highway, use \
low beams.
True, most vehicles now have day-night mirrors that enable the \
driver to
reduce glare. But outside mirrors are not of this type and high beams from
behind can bother the driver ahead.
A Few More Night Driving Suggestions
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle clean-i\
nside 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. Tobacco smoke \
also makes inside glass surfaces very filmy and can be a vision hazard
if it’s left there.
Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and flash more than clean glas\
s would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly. You might even want to
keep a cloth and some glass cleaner in your vehicle
if you need to clean
your glass frequently.
Remember that your headlights 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 headlights 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.
4-36