steering wheel CHEVROLET TRACKER 1996 User Guide

Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. 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 chlld 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 Geo can perform very well in emergencies
like
these. First apply your brakes -- but, unless you have
anti-lock, not
enough to lock your wheels. (See
“Braking in Emergencies’’ earlier in this section.) 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.
The fact that such emergency situations
are always
possible
is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and
wear safety belts properly.
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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 vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn until the
right fiont tire contacts the pavement edge. Then
turn your
steering wheel
to go straight down the roadway.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes
back into the right lane again.
A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
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traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can
suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents
-- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides and to
crossroads for situations that might affect your passing
patterns.
If you have any doubt whatsoever about
making a successful pass, wait for
a better time.
Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and lines.
If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken
center line usually indicates it’s all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear).
Never cross a solid
line on your side of the lane or a double solid line,
even
if the road seems empty of approaching traffk.
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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 Geo’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, 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.
mle 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.
If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember: It
helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have
anti-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels are
no longer rolling), release enough pressure
on the brakes
to get the wheels rolling again. This restores steering
control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when you
have
to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are rolling,
you will have steering control.
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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.
0 you have less time to react.
you have more vehicle bounce when you drive
you’ll need more distance for braking, especially
over
obstacles.
since you’re on an unpaved surface.
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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
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:
I longer braking distances.
0 Is the path ahead clear?
0 Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
I Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s
more discussion of
these subjects later.)
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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 alcoh’ol. You could
have a serious
-- or even fatal 7- accident if you dx-ink
and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking.
See “Drunken Driving”
in the Index.
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Driving Uphill
Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you
need to take some special steps.
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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.
Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible. If
the path twists and turns, you might want to find
another route.
/A CAUTION:
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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.
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nrning 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.
A CAUTION:
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.
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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
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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).
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
PARK (P) (or, shift to
NEUTRAL (N) if your
vehicle has
a manual transmission) 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.
NEUTRAL (N) (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.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
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.
a 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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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
bnger 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. 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 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.
c
A CAUTION:
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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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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 drlve through it slowly. ,
fast speeds, water splashes on your ignition system and
your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if you get
At
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.
A CAUTION:
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 the vehicle over. Don’t drive
through rushing water.
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 rnud 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 clue to
off-road
use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
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Remember, unless you have anti-lock, if you brake so
hard that your wheels stop rolling, you’ll just slide.
Brake
so your wheels always keep rolling and you can
still steer.
0 Whatever your braking system, 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.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow.
Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers
safe:
0 Turn on your hazard flashers.
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