steering Oldsmobile Achieva 1995 s User Guide

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.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision.
If you 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
YOLI have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once you
have
avoided the object.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example,
you come over a hill and
find a truck stopped in your lane, or
a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from 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; there isn’t room. That’s
the time for evasive action
-- steering around the
problem.
Your Oldsmobile can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes. 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. The fact
that such emergency situations are always
possible
is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.
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Off-Road Recovery Passing
You may find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you’re driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below
the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing
in the way, steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
You can turn the steering wheel up to
1/4 turn until the
right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn
your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
I
r/// edge of paved surface
J
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes
back
into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is
a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane
as oncoming
traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration
or anger can
suddenly put the passing driver face
to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents
-- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides, and
to crossroads for situations that might affect your
passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever
about making
a successful pass, wait for a better time.
0 Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and lines.
If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken
center line usually indicates it’s all right to
pass
(providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross a solid
line on your side of the lane
or a double solid line,
even
if the road seems empty of approaching traffic.
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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
Oldsmobile’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.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid only
the braking skid.
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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; OOC) 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 the
anti-lock braking system, you’ll want to begin stopping
sooner than you would on dry pavement. See
“Anti-Lock’’ in the Index.
0 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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Towing Your Vehicle from the Front
(Automatic Transaxle) Follow these steps:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
NOTICE:
Do not tow your Oldsmobile with the front
wheels in contact with the ground, or the
automatic transaxle could be damaged.
2. Set the parking brake.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF to unlock the steering
wheel. See “Ignition” in the Index.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position, with a clamping device designed
for
towing.
5. Release the parking brake.
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Towing Your Vehicle from the Front
(Manual Transaxle) low your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground.
Follow these steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Set the parking brake.
Turn the ignition key to
OFF to unlock the steering
wheel and prevent the automatic door locks
from
locking.
Shift your manual transaxle to
NEUTRAL (N).
Release the parking brake.
I
NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed
55 mph (90 kmh), or your vehicle could be badly
damaged.
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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 nrns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
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 lamps 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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When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service. Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. The transaxle should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed
on the front wheels,
unless you must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
front wheels, don’t go more than
35 mph (56 kmh) or
farther than
50 miles (80 km) or your transaxle will be
damaged.
If these limits must be exceeded, then the
front wheels have to be supported
on a dolly.

If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what
to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake to a
stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use
in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want
the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how
to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
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If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known
as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well
as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains”
in the Index.
Rocking your vehicle to get it out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the
area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear
(or
with a manual transaxle, between FIRST (1) or
SECOND (2) gear and REVERSE (R)), spinning the
wheels as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal
while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transaxle is in gear. If that doesn’t get
you out after a few tries,
you may need to be towed out.
If
you do need to be towed out, see “Towing Your
Vehicle”
in the Index.
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