brake GMC SIERRA 1993 Owner's Guide

Your Driving and the Road
Steering Tips Driving
on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news \
happen on
curves. Here’s why:
Experienced 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 me condition of your tires
and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked,\
and your
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 sudd\
enly apply the
brakes. Both control systems-steering and braking-have to
do their work
where the tires meet the road. Adding the hard braking can de\
mand too
much at those places. You can lose control.
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 you lose control.
What should you
do if this ever happens? Let 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.
When you drive into a curve at night, it’s harder
to see the road ahead of
you because it bends away from the straight beams
of your lights. This is
one good reason to drive slower.
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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 yo\
ur lane, or a
car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out fro\
m 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; ther\
e 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 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 yo\
u
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. You must then be prep\
ared to steer
back to your original lane and then brake to a controlled stop.
Depending on your speed, this can be rather violent for an un\
prepared driver.
This is one of the reasons driving experts recommend that you use your
safety belts and keep both hands on the steering wheel.
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The fact that such emergency situations are always possible is \
a good reason
to practice defensive driving at
all times.
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Your Driving and the Road
the right lane. (Remember that your right outside mirror is c\
onvex. The
vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you \
than
it
really is).
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 though the
Reconsider before passing the next vehicle.
brake lights are not flashing, it may be slowing down
or starting to turn.
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.
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 steel+-, arid 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 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 ea\
sing 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 sl\
ide. 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 to slid\
e. You
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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: the rear wheel anti-lock braking system (RWAL) 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 dow\
n steadily
when you have to stop suddenly.
As long as the front wheels are rolling, you
will have steering control. Steer the way you want to go.
Off-Road Driving with Your FourcWheel
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, so\
lid surface.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have some defi\
nite 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 a\
re 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 enjoyable. \
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-roa\
ding 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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Your Driving and the Road
A 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
I 'I' ?d. 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
traffic on trails or hills.
Sound the horn as you approach the top of hill to let opposing traffic
know you're there.
Use your headlights even during the day. They make you more visible to
oncoming traffic.
I A Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can muse an
accident.
There could be a drop-off, embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You buld be seriously injured or killed. .As you near
the
top of a hill, slow down and stay alert. I
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:
0
0
0
0
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 ste\
ering
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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Here are some things you must not do if you stall, or are about to stall,
when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into N (Neutral) (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.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle. Then apply the parking
brake. Shift into reverse, release the parking brake, and slowl\
y back down.
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 down the hill.
Q: Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the hill and decide I just
can’t
do it. What should I do?
A: Set the parking brake, put your transmission in P (Park) (or the manual
transmission in first gear), and turn off the engine. Leave the vehicle and \
go
get some help. Exit on the uphill side and stay clear of the\
path the vehicle
would take
if it rolled downhill. Do not shift the transfer case to N (Neutral)
when you leave the vehicle. Leave it in some gear.
Shifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause your vehicle to
roll even
if the transmission is in P (Park) (or, if you have the
manual transmission, even
if you’re in gear). This is because the N
(Neutral) position on the transfer case overrides the transmis\
sion. If
you are going to leave your vehicle, set the parking brake and shi”
the transmission to
P (Park) (or, put your manual transmission in f
gear). But do not shift the transfer case to the N (Neutral) positior
Leave the transfer case in the
2 Wheel, 4 High or 4 Low position.
1
Lriving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you’ll want to consider a number of
things:
How steep is the downhill? Will
I be able to maintain vehicle control?
What’s the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery? Hard-packed \
dirt? Grave
I?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs? Boulders?
What’s at the bottom
of the hill? Is there a hidden creek bank or even a
river bottom with large rocks?
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Your Driving and the Road
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 dr\
ag can help
your brakes and they won’t have to do
all the work. Descend slowly, keeping
your vehicle under control at all times.
CAUTION
A 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
low gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
Q: Are there some things I should not do when driving down a hili?
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 across the in\
cline 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-whee\
ling,” Your
brakes will have
to do all the work and could overheat and fade.
Avoid braking so hard that you lock the wheels when going downhill. If
your front wheels are locked, you can’t steer your vehicle. \
If your wheels
lock up during downhill braking, you may feel the vehicle star\
ting to slide
sideways.
To regain your direction, just ease off the brakes and steer to
keep the front of the vehicle pointing straight downhill.
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 pa\
rking
brake.
Shift to P (Park) (or to Neutral with the manual transmission) and, while
still braking, restart the engine.
Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight
down.
If the engine won’t start, get out and get help.
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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 th\
ese surfaces, it’s
very easy to lose control. On wet ice, for example, the tract\
ion
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.
I A Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or rivers can be dangerous. I
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
on
I y.
.
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 tailp\
ipe is
under water, you’ll never be able to start your engine. Whe\
n you go through
water, remember that when your brakes get wet, it may take you longer to
stop.
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 vehicle
over. Don’t drive throuah rushina water. I
If you have a diesel engine, see “Driving Through Water (Diese\
l Engines)” in
the Index for more information on driving through water.
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Your Driving and the Road
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.
Driving at Night
I
--.
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- AM450002 I
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some
drivers are likely
to be impaired-by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively. Remember, this is the most dangerous time.
Don’t drink and drive (See “Drunken Driving” in the Index for more on
this problem).
Adjust your inside rear view mirror to reduce the glare from headlights
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep
behind
you.
more space between you and other vehicles. It’s hard
to tell how fast
the vehicle ahead is going just
by looking at its taillights.
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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.
So it is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape and keep you\
r
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.
.
AM455017 4
Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going through 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
d 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 hydr\
oplaning,
it
has little or no contact with the road.
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