stop start CHEVROLET TRACKER 1998 1.G User Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 (Option)
Your vehicle may have anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is
an advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
ABS
If your vehicle has anti-lock
brakes, this warning light on
the instrument panel will
come on briefly when you
start your vehicle.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive away, your anti-lock brake system will check
itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
If there’s
a problem with the anti-lock brake system, the
anti-lock brake system warning light will stay on or
flash. See “Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light” in
the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you’re awaiting
an opportunity. For one
thing, following too closely reduces your area of
vision, especially if you’re following a larger
vehicle. Also, you won’t have adequate space if the
vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t
get too close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
“running start” that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.
If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your
turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to
pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, 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 into 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.)
0 Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
0 If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease
a little to the right.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t have 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 conditions, and by not “overdriving”\

those conditions. But skids are always possible.
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, 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.
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 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
over obstacles.
you’ll need more distance for braking, especially
since you’re on an unpaved surface.
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.
Surfiace 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 longer braking distances.
Surface Obstacles. Unseen or hidden obstacles can be
hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut or bump can startle you if
1 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:
Is the path ahead clear? 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 Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
control and crash. So, whether you’re driving on Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s
or off the road, you and your passengers should more discussion of these subjects later.)
wear safety belts. Will you have to stop suddenly or change
direction quickly?
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine @ Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A: Yes! These are important because if you ignore
0
0
0
them you could lose control and have a
serious accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across 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
NEUTRAL (N), 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.
Unless you have anti-lock: Avoid braking
so hard
that you lock the wheels when going downhill. If
your 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.
&.’ 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.
Shift to PARK (P) (or to NEUTRAL (N) with the
Apply the parking brake.
manual transmission) and, while still braking, restart
the engine.
and drive straight down.
0 Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
If the engine won’t start, get out and get help,
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine e.? 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 slipping. 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,
Stalling on an Incline
If your vehicle stalls when you’re crossing an incline, be
sure you (and your passengers) get out on the uphill
side, even if the door there
is harder to open. If you get
out on the downhill side and the vehicle starts to roll
over, you’ll be right in its path.
If you have to walk down the slope, stay out
of the path
the vehicle will take if
it does roll over. ’ A CAUTION:
Getting out on the downhill (low) side of a vehicle
stopped across
an incline is dangerous. If the
vehicle rolls over, you could be crushed or killed.
Always get out
on the uphill (high) side of the
vehicle and stay well clear
of the rollover path.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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 shallow water, 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.
See “Driving Through Water” in the Index
for more
information on driving through water,
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you 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 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 with
washer fluid. 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle with manual
freewheeling hubs,
it can be towed from the front with
all four wheels on the ground. Follow these steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Set the parking brake.
Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the
steering wheel.
Shift your automatic transmission into
PARK (P), or
your manual transmission to SECOND
(2).
Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N).
Set the hubs to
FREE. See “Four-wheel Drive” in
the Index.
Release the parking brake.
Stop towing every
200 miles (300 km) and start
the engine. Leave the transfer case shift lever in
NEUTRAL (N). Shift your automatic transmission
to DRIVE (D); leave a manual transmission in
SECOND
(2) with the clutch engaged. Run the engine at
medium speed for one minute to circulate oil in the
transfer case.
Turn the ignition key to ACC. Now, you
can continue towing your vehicle.
NOTICE:
The front wheels transmit shocks during towing.
The steering column may not be strong enough to
withstand the shocks. Always unlock the steering
wheel before towing.
I NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed
50 mph (80 km/h), or your vehicle could be
badly damaged.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine lbrn Signals When Towing a nailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring (included in the optional trailering package).
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a
turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for
turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they
are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If
you are towing a trailer and you have a manual
transmission with
FIFTH (5) gear, you may prefer not to
use FIFTH
(5). Just drive in FOURTH (4) (or, as you
need to, a lower gear).
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