lights GMC SIERRA 1994 Owner's Manual

Here are some other things to consider as you approach a hill.
Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get sharply steeper in places'!
Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the surface cause tire
slipping?
Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you won't have to make
turning maneuvers?
Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your path (boulders,
trees, logs
or ruts)'?
What's beyond the hill? 1s there a cliff, an embankment, a drop-off, a
fence? Get out and walk the
hill if you don't know. It's the smart way
to find out.
Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have ruts, gullies, troughs
and exposed rocks because they are more susceptible
to the effects of
erosion.
Driving Uphill
Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you need to take some
special steps.
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:
Tbrning 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.
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 headlights even during the day. They make you more visible
to oncoming traffic.
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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 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 due to off-road use. Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule for additional information.
Driving at Night
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.
Don’t drink and drive.
a Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlights
behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more
space between you and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights can light
up only so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
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Nighf Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as we get older these
differences increase. A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as
much light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What
you do in the daytime can also affect your night vision. For example,
if you spend the day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses.
Your eyes
will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you’re driving,
don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down
on glare from
headlights, but they also make a lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights. It can take a second
or two, or even several seconds, for your eyes
to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (,as from a driver
who doesn’t lower the high
beams,
or a vehicle with misairned headlights), slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching lights.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle clean
- inside and
out. Glare at night is made much worse by dirt
on the glass. Even the inside
of the glass can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes lights
dazzle and flash more than clean glass would, making
the pupils of your
eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that
your headlights light up fir 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.
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Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
0 Turn on your low-beam headlights - not just your parking llgnts - to
help make you more visible to others.
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following distance. And be
especially careful when you pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more
clear room ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted by road
spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)
City Driving
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.
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.
save time and energy. (See the
next section, “Freeway Driving.”)
0 Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. You’ll
0 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.
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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.
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 Vehicle
dealerships all across
North America. They’ll be ready and willing to help if
you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
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?
0 Lights: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean‘?
0 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‘?
0 Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook along your route?
Should you delay your trip
a short time to avoid a major storm system?
0 Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”? Or is it just plain
falling asleep at the wheel?
Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever.
There is something about
an easy stretch of road with the same scenery,
along with the hum of the tires on
the road, the drone of the engine, and the
rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it
happen to you! If
it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less than a
second, and you could crash and be injured.
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I
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves fuel. When you run
the engine, make it go a little faster than just idle. That is, push the
accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps
the battery (or batteries) charged.
You will need a well-charged battery (or
batteries) to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your
headlights. Let the heater run for awhile.
If you have a diesel engine, you may have to run it at a higher speed to get
enough heat. Then, shut the engine off and close
the window almost all the
way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only when
you feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as possible.
Preserve the fuel
as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get out of
the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until
help comes.
Power Winches
If you wish to use a power winch on your vehicle, only use it when your
vehicle
is stationary or anchored.
When operating a power winch on your vehicle, always leave the\

transmission
in "N" (Neutral). Leaving a automatic transmission
in "P" (Park) while using a power winch may damage the
transmission.
Also, leaving an automatic or manual transmission
in gear while using a power winch may damage the
transmission.
Use the regular brakes, set the parking brake, or block the wheels to keep
your vehicle
from rolling.
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Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector, lights, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your
vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This lets
you check your electrical connection at
the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure, and
that the lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help
you avoid situations that
require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll need to
go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer to the left, just move that hand to the
left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to
the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible?
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do this
so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or other
objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows
on your instrument panel will
flash whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the
trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green 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.
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Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning
flashers let
you warn
others. They also let
police know you have
a problem. Your front
and rear turn signal
lights will
flash on
and off.
But they won’t flash if
you’re braking.
Press the button
in to
make your front and
rear turn signals 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,
pull out on
the collar.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn signals won’t work.
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To Jump Start Your Vehicle
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a negative
ground system.
I NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a negative
ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
If you have a diesel engine vehicle with two batteries (or more), you
should know before
you begin that, especially in cold weather, you may
not be able to get enough power from
a single battery in another
vehicle to start your diesel engine.
If your vehicle
has more than one battery, use the battery that’s on the
passenger side
of the vehicle - this will reduce electrical resistance.
sure the vehicle’s aren’t touching each other.
If they are, it could cause
a ground connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to start your
vehicle, and the bad grounding could damage
the electrical systems.
You could be injured
if the vehicles roll. Set the parking brake firmly
on each vehicle. Put an automatic transmission
in “P” (Park) or a
manual transmission in “N” (Neutral). If you have a four-wheel-drive
vehicle, be sure
the transfer case is not in “N” (Neutral).
2. Get the vehicles
close enough
so the jumper cables can reach, but be
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all lights that aren’t
needed, and radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both batteries.
And it could save
your radio!
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly damaged. The
repairs wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the positive (+) and
negative
(-) terminals on each battery.
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What to use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what kind of lubricant to
use. See “Recommended Fluids and Lubricants”
in the Index.
Engine Coolant
The following explains your cooling system and how to add coolant when it
is low. If you have a problem with engine overheating, see “Engine
Overheating”
in the Index.
The proper coolant for your vehicle
will:
Give freezing protection down to -20 OF (-29”C), or -34°F (-37°C) in
Canada and for vehicles with the cold climate option.
Give boiling protection up to 258 OF ( 125 O C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as they should.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean wuter (preferably distilled) and one-half
antifreeze that meets
“GM Specification 6038-M,” which won’t damage
aluminum parts.
You can also use a recycled coolant conforming to “GM
Specification 6038-M” with a complete coolant flush and refill. If you use
this mixture, you don’t need to add anything else.
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