warning CHEVROLET TRACKER 1998 1.G User Guide

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 3ty Driving Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are
going. 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. You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
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.
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount
of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.
4-34

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
0 You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle. Include an
ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing,
a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and
reflective warning triangles. And, if you will be driving
under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a
piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags to help
provide traction. Be sure you properly secure these
items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or
ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll
have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be
very careful.
4-39

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2 5-2
5-3
5-7
5-12 Hazard Warning Flashers
Other Warning Devices
Jump Starting
Towing
Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating
5- 14
5-21
5-22
5-32 Cooling System If a Tire Goes Flat
Changing a Flat Tire
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
5-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hazard Warning Flashers Press the button on top
of the steering column to
make your front and rear
turn signal lamps flash on and
off.
Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even if the key isn’t in.
To turn off the flashers, push the button again.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn signals won’t work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up
at the side of the road about
300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lamps will flash on and
off.
5-2

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 11. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery. If it
won’t start after a few tries,
it probably needs
service.
12. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
-
B
+
b
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a dealer or a professional towing service tow
your vehicle. See “Roadside Assistance” in the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting,
or special tires and wheels, these
instructions may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
0
0
0
0
That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, or that it
has the four-wheel-drive option.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever for the
transmission and trans€er case, if you have one.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives,
let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want
to see them.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay
away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from
it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until
it cools down. Wait until
there
is no sign of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~____
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
5-13

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (a) or
DRIVE (D) for automatic transmissions.
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you
can drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes. If the warning doesn’t come back on,
you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see
if the warning stops. But then,
if you still have the
warning,
turn ojjfthe engine and get everyone out of
the vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what \
you’ll see:
A. Radiator Pressure Cap
B. Electric Engine Cooling Fan
C. Coolant Recovery Tank
5-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I A
A C ,U ION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be
very hot. Don’t touch them. If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is
a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get
any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine cooling fan
is running. If the
engine is overheating, the fan should be running. If it
isn’t, your vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant
level isn’t at or above the
FULL mark, add a 50/50
mixture of clean water (preferably distilled) and a
proper coolant at the coolant recovery tank. (See
“Engine Coolant” in the Index for more information
about
the proper coolant mixture.)
Adding only plain water
to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get too hot but you wouldn’t
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch fire and you or others could be burned.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean water and a
proper coolant.
5-16

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
A CAUT,JN:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and
it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on
a hot engine.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank
is at or
above the
FULL mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing you can try.
You can add the proper coolant
mixture directly
to the radiator, but be sure the cooling
system is cool before you do it.
5-17
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