stop start CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1993 User Guide

Loss of Control
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 d\
rivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care suited
to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possib\
le.
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 and an acceleration skid are best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal. If your vehicle starts to slide (as when you turn
a corner on a wet, snow-
or ice-covered road), ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal as soon as you feel the vehicle start
to slide. Quickly steer
the way you want the vehicle
to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle will straighten out. As it does, straighten the front wheels.
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 limit\
ed.
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 t\
o 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 braking system (ABS) helps avoid only the braking
skid. Steer the way you want
to go.
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h
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
I 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
Sound the horn as you approach the top of hill to let opposing traffic
Use your headlights even during the day. They make you more visible to
traffic on trails
or hills.
know you’re there.
oncoming traffic.
I CAUTION
’ rf Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can cause an
1 the top of a hill, slow down and stay alert.
ccident.
There could be a drop-off, embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be seriously injured or killed.
As you near
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 reverse, 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 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.
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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.
’ [ 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
I low gear to keep vehicle speed under control. 1
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 &%C>Ss 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 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
Shift to P (Park) (or to Neutral with the manual transmission) and, while
Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight
brake.
still braking, restart the engine.
down.
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:
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CAUTION I
If Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or rivers can be dangerous.
-L 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.
I
t
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 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.
CAUTION
C
Driving through rushing water can be dangerous. Deep water can \
sweep your vehicle 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 t\
he vehiclc
over. Don’t drive through rushing water.
I
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 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
Section
7 for additional information.
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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.
Driving in the Rain
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Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road y\
ou 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 reflex\
es 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. Road spray can often be worse for vision than rain,
especially
if it comes from a dirty road.
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So it is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape and keep your
windshield washer tank filled. Replace your windshield wiper ins\
erts when they
show signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield,
or when strips of
rubber start to separate from the inserts,
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Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going thr\
ough 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 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.
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 h\
ydroplaning,
it
has little or no contact with the road.
You might not be aware of hydroplaning. You could drive along for some time \
without realizing your tires aren’t in constant contact with \
the road.
You could
find out the hard way: when you have
to slow, turn, move out to pass-or if
you get hit by a gust of wind. You could suddenly find yourself out of control.
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Tips
You’ll
If you
on Driving in Fog
get caught in fog, turn your headlights on low beam, even in daytime.
see-and be seen-better. Use your fog lights
if your vehicle has them.
Don’t use your high beams. The light will bounce
off the water droplets that
make up fog and reflect back at you.
Use your defogger. In high humidity, even
a light buildup of moisture on the
inside of the glass
will cut down on your already limited visibility. Run your
windshield wiper and washer occasionally. Moisture can build up \
on the
outside glass, and what seems to be fog may actually be moist\
ure on the
outside of your windshield.
Treat dense fog as an emergency. Try to find a place
to pull off the road. Of
course you want to respect another’s property, but you might\
need to put
something between you and moving vehicles-space, trees, telephone\
poles,
a private driveway, anything that removes you from other traffi\
c.
If visibility is near zero and you must stop but are unsure whet\
her you are
away from the road, turn your lights
on, start your hazard warning flasher,
and sound your horn at intervals or when you hear approaching \
traffic.
Pass other vehicles in fog only
if you can see far enough ahead to pass
safely. Even then, be prepared to delay your pass if you susp\
ect the fog is
worse up ahead.
If other vehicles try to pass you, make it easy for them.
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Your Driving and the Road
City Driving
AN460004
One of the biggest problems with city streets is 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:
e
e
e
e
Know the best way to get to where you are going. Try not to drive
around trying to pick out a familiar street or landmark. Get \
a city map
and plan your trip into an unknown part of the city just as you would for
a cross-country trip.
Try
to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. Yo\
u’ll
save time and energy. (See the next section, “Freeway Drivi\
ng.”)
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.
Obey all posted speed limits.
But remember that they are for ideal road,
weather and visibility conditions. You may need to drive below the
posted limit in bad weather or when visibility is especially poor.
Pull to the right (with care) and stop clear
of intersections when you see
or hear emergency vehicles.
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Your Driving and the Road
Before changing lanes, check your rearview mirrors. Then use yo\
ur turn
signal. Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over yo\
ur shoulder to
make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your “blind” spot.
If you are moving from an outside to a center lane on a freeway\
having
more than two lanes, make sure another vehicle isn’t about to move into the
same spot. Look at the vehicles two lanes over and watch for \
telltale signs:
turn signals flashing, an increase in speed, or moving toward \
the edge of the
lane. Be prepared to delay your move.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you allow a \
reasonable
following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night.
Leaving the Freeway
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper lane \
well in
advance. Dashing across lanes at the last minute is dangerous. \
If you miss
your exit do not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. \
Drive
on to the
next exit.
At each exit point is a deceleration lane. Ideally it should be long enough for
you to enter it at freeway speed (after signaling, of course) and then do your
braking before moving onto the exit ramp. Unfortunately, not al\
l deceleration
lanes are long enough-some are too short for
all the braking. Decide when
to start braking.
If you must brake on the through lane, and if there is traffic
close behind you, you can allow a little extra time and flash\
your brake lights
(in addition to your turn signal) as extra warning that you are about to slow
down and 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. For example,
40 mph (65 km/h) might seem like only 20 mph (30 kmlh). Obviously, this
could lead to serious trouble on a ramp designed for
20 mph (30 km/h)!
Driving a Long Distance
Although most long trips today are made on freeways, there are\
still many
made on regular highways.
Long-distance driving on freeways and regular highways is the same in some
ways. The trip has to be planned and the vehicle prepared, yo\
u drive at higher-than-city speeds, and there are longer turns behind the wheel. You’ll
enjoy your trip more
if you and your vehicle are in good shape. Here are
some tips for
a successful long trip.
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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 your vehicle’s
dealerships all across North America. They’ll be ready and w\
illing to help
if
you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
e
e
On
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir 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?
Lights: 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?
the Road
Unless you are the only driver, it is good to share the driving task with
others. Limit turns behind the wheel to about
100 miles (160 km) or two
hours at a sitting. Then, either change drivers or stop for s\
ome refreshment
like coffee, tea or soft drinks and some limbering up. But do stop and move
around. Eat lightly along the way. Heavier meals tend
to make some people
sleepy.
On two-lane highways or undivided multilane highways that do not have
controlled access, you’ll want to watch for some situations not usually found
on freeways. Examples are: stop signs and signals, shopping cen\
ters with
direct access to the highway, no passing zones and school zones, vehicles
turning left and right
off the road, pedestrians, cyclists, parked vehicles, and
even animals.
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