CHEVROLET S10 1994 2.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where you want it to go.
They are the brakes, the steering and the accelerator. All three systems have
to
do their work at the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s easy
to ask more of
those control systems than the tires and road can provide. That means you
can lose control
of your vehicle.
Braking
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Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in spurts - heavy
acceleration followed by heavy braking
- rather than keeping pace with
traffic. This is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy
braking.
If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following
distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means better
braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake normally \
but don’t
pump your brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to push down. If
your engine stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But you
will
use it when you brake. Once the power assist is used up, it may take longer
to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has an advanced electronic braking system that can help\
you
keep it under control.
If your vehicle has an anti-lock brake system warning light on th\
e
instrument panel, it has four-wheel anti-lock brakes. Otherwise, it has
rear-wheel anti-lock brakes. When you start a vehicle that has \
four-wheel anti-lock brakes and begin to drive away, you may hear
a momentary motor
or clicking noise. This is the ABS system testing itself.
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet. Y\
ou’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in front of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here’s what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. With four-wheel
anti-lock:
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at the rear wheels. The
four-wheel anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster\
than any
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine driver could. With rear-wheel anti-lock: If one of the rear wheels is about
to stop rolling, the computer will work the brakes at the rear wheels. The
computer is programmed to make the most of available tire and road
conditions.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on wheel speed\
and
controls braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need to get \
your foot up
to the brake pedal.
If you get too close to the vehicle in front of you, you
won’t have time to apply your brakes if that vehicle sudden\
ly slows or
stops. Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti-lock brakes.
To Use Four-wheel Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down and let anti-lock
work for you.
You may feel the brakes vibrate. or you may notice some
noise, but this is
1 mal.
To Use Rear-Wheel Anti-Lock
Use rear-wheel anti-lock like regular brakes. You may feel the brakes
vibrate, or you may notice some noise outside your vehicle, bu\
t
this is
normal. Let anti-lock work for you, but remember: Your Eront wheels can
still stop rolling. If that happens, release enough pressure on the brakes to
get the wheels rolling again
so that you can steer.
With the four-wheel drive option, you won’t have rear-wheel anti-lock
braking when you shift into four-wheel drive. But you will hav\
e regular
braking. When you shift back into two-wheel drive, you will ha\
ve rear-wheel anti-lock again.
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Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation that \
requires hard
braking.
The four-wheel anti-lock system lets you steer and brake at the same time.
If you have the rear-wheel anti-lock braking system, your front wh\
eels can
stop rolling when you brake very hard. Once they do, the vehicle can’t
respond to your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it
was headed when the front wheels stopped rolling. That could b\
e off the
road, into the very thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic.
So, unless you have four-wheel anti-lock, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking while maintaining \
steering
control. You do this by pushing on the brake pedal with steadily increasing
pressure. When you do, it will help maintain steering control. \
In many
emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the system is
not functioning, you can steer but it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take eurves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “drrver lost control” accidents mentit- ~~- -- - -~ -1-3 news happen
on curves. Here’s why:
bxperienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to the same laws of
physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road
surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there’s no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in
the same direction.
If you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll
understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the condition of your tires
and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked, and you\
r
speed. While you’re in
a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then you suddenly apply
the brakes. Both control systems
- steering and braking - have to do their
work where the tires meet the road. Unless you have four-wheel\
anti-lock
brakes, adding the hard braking can demand too much of those places. You
can lose control.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The same thing can happen if you’re steering through a sharp curve and you
suddenly accelerate. Those two control systems
- steering and acceleration
- can overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road and make vou
lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the brake or
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it~to go, and slow
down.
Speed
limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust your speed. Of
course, the posted speeds are based on good weather and road conditions.
Under less favorable conditions you’ll want to
go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a curve, do it before you
enter the curve, while your front wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed
so you can “drive” through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out \
of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective than braki\
ng. 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 child 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 Vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply
your brakes
- but, unless you have four-wheel anti-lock, not enough to
lock your front wheels. 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The fact that such emergenoy situations are always possible is a good reason
to practice defensive driving at all times and wear safety bel\
ts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right wheels have dropped off the edge\
of
a road onto the shoulder while you're driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pavement, recovery
should be fairly easy. Ease
off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in
the way, steer
so that your vebcle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can turn th'e steering wheel up
to 1/4 turn until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Theq
Qgq your steering wheel to go straight down the
roadway.
1. Edge of Road
Surface
2. Slow Down
3. Left Approx.
Quarter
Turn
4. Recover

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine So here are Some tips for passing:
e
e
e
e e
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Check your rnlrro , 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 i\
nto 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.)
Reconsider before passing the next vehicle.
brake lights are not flashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn.
ahead of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.
0 Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane \
roads.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even tho\
ugh the
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get
Loss of 0 mo/
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens whe\
n the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t ha\
ve 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 conditi\
ons, and by
not “overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always p\
ossible.
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
comering force. And in the acceleration skid too much throttle causes t\
he
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.
. L.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine While driving on a surrace with reaucea traction, try yo best to a td
sudden steering, acceleration, or braking (including engme braki\
ng DY
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:
If you have the four-wheel anti-lock braking system, it helps
avoid only the braking skid. The rear-wheel anti-lock braking system helps
avoid only a rear braking skid. In a braking skid (where the\
front wheels are
no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the brakes to \
get the front
wheels rolling again. This restores steering control. Push the brake pedal
down steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the front wheels
are rolling, you will have steering control.
Driving Guidelines
Off-Road Driving with Your 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
enjoy able.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For example, be sure to have
all necessary maintenance and service work done. Be sure
you read all the
information about your four-wheel drive vehicle in this manual. \
Is there
enough fuel?
Is the spare tire fully inflated? Are the fluid levels up where
they should be? What are the local laws that apply to off-roading where
you’ll be driving? If you don’t know, you should check with law
enforcement people in the area. Will you
be on someone’s private land? If
so, be sure to get the necessary permission.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Loading Your Vehide for Off-Road Rriving
There are some important things to remember about how to load your
vehicle.
The heaviest things should be on the load floor and forward of your
rear axle. Put heavier items as
far forward as you cm.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on the off-road terrain
doesn’t toss things around.
You’ll find other important information in this manual. See
“ Vehicle
Loading,” and “Tires” in the Index.
Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going to a rem\
ote 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 v\
ehicle.
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.