brake GMC SIERRA 1994 Owner's Guide

Q: What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and I
can’t make
it up the hill?
A:
0
a
a
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
slzould 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 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 as straight as
possible
in reverse.
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 mist nof 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.
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Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle. Then apply the parking
brake. Shift into reverse, release the parking brake, and slowly back straight
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 straight 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.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you’ll want to consider a number of
things:
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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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 drag can help
your brakes and they won’t have to do all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping your vehicle under control at
all times.
A CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could cause loss of control and a ser\
ious
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 hill?
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 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.
0 Never go downhill with the transmission in “N” (Neutral) , 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.
Avoid braking so hard that you lock the front 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 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.
0: 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.
0 Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes. Apply the parking
brake.
Shift to ‘bP’ (Park) (or to Neutral with the lnanual transmission) and,
while still braking, restart the engine.
0 Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight
down.
0 If the engine won’t start, get out and get hclp.
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Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction. On these surfxes,
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.
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.
If you have
a diesel engine, see “Driving Through Water (Diesel Engines)”
in the Index for more information
on driving through water.
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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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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.
Hydroplaning
Hjdroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up under your tires
that they can actually ride on the water. This caa happen if the road is wet
enough and you’re going fast enough. When your vehicle
is hydroplaning, it
has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can
if your tires haven’t much
tread or
if the pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water
is standing on the road. If you can see reflections from trees, \
telephone
poles,
or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the water’s sudace, there
could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There just isn’t a hard and
fast rule about hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down when
it is
raining.
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What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can
happen.
Then here are some tips:
0 Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool
interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check
your mirrors and your instruments frequently.
0 If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area
and take a nap, get some exercise, or both.
For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway
as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in flat or
rolling terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're planning to visit there,
here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. (See
"Off-Road Driving" in the Index for information about driving off-road.)
0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, cooling system and transmission. These parts can work
hard
on mountain roads.
0 Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this:
let your engine do some of the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear
when you go down
a steep or long hill.
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What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold snow or ice can be
slick and hard
to drive on. But wet ice can be even more trouble because it
may offer the least traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s about
freezing
(32” F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition
- smooth ice, packed, blowing or loose snow -
drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not
to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface under the tires even
more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make
a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though
you have an anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See
“Anti-lock” in the Index.
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.
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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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Power Take-Off (PTO)
NOTICE:
If you will be using the PTO while the vehicle remains in one
place, drive the vehicle to warm it up before operating the
PTO.
Don’t use the PTO for more than four hours without driving
your vehicle again. If you don’t follow these guidelines, your
transfer case or transmission could be damaged.
NOTICE:
Don’t have a PTO that will exceed 35 horsepower installed on
your vehicle. It could damage your transmission or transfer
case.
Before using a power take-off, refer to the manufacturer’s or installer’s
instructions.
To engage a power take-oft
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Shift the transmission into “N” (Neutral).
3. Hold the clutch pedal down and engage the power take-off.
If you are going to drive
the vehicle, shift the transmission into the gear
you want.
Then shift the transfer case into the range you want (if you
have four-wheel drive), apply the regular brakes and release the
parking brake.
4. Release the clutch (and the regular brakes) as you normally would.
When
you release the clutch, the power take-off will start.
Using a Transfer Case Mounted Power Take-Off
(Manual Transmission)
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Shift the transfer case into “N” (Neutral).
3. Hold the clutch pedal down. If the vehicle will remain in the same
place, shift the transmission into the highest gear.
4. Engage the power take-off.
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