wheel OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 1998 Owner's Guide

Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you'll want to
consider a number
of things:
0 How steep is the downhill'? Will I be able to maintain
vehicle control?
0 What's the surface like'? Smooth'? Ro~lgh'? Slippery?
Hard-packed dirt'? Gravel?
0 Are there hidden surfdce obstacles? Ruts'? Logs'?
Boulders?
0 What's at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden
creek bank or even a river bottom
with large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to
keep
your vehicle headed straight down, and use a low
they won't have to do all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
i> (rear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes and
.. . -,
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 serious accident.
Apply the brakes lightly when descending a hill
and use a low gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
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.
0 When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that's not too
0
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
NEUTRAL (N). This is called "free-wheeling."
Your brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.
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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 parking brake.
Shift to PARK (P) 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.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across
the incline
of a hill. If this happens, you have to decide
whether to
try to drive across the incline. Here are some
things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up or down may be
too steep
to drive across. When you go straight up or
down
a hill, the length of the wheel base (the distance from the front wheels
to the rear
wheels)
reduces the likelihood
the vehicle will tumble end
over end.
But when you drive across an incline, the
much more narrow track width (the distance between
the left and right wheels) may not prevent the vehicle
from tilting and rolling over.
Also, driving across an
incline puts more weight
on the downhill wheels.
This could cause
a downhill slide or a rollover.
Surface conditions can be a problem when you drive
across a hill.
Loose gravel, muddy spots, or even wet
grass can cause your tires to slip sideways, downhill.
If the vehicle slips sideways,
it can hit something
that will trip
it (a rock, a rut, etc.) and roll over.
0 Hidden obstacles can make the steepness of the
incline even worse.
If you drive across a rock with
the uphill wheels, or
if the downhill wheels drop into
a rut or depression, your vehicle can tilt even more.
For reasons like these, you need to decide carefully
whether to try to drive across
an incline. Just because the
trail goes across the incline doesn’t mean you have
to
drive it. The last vehicle to try it might have rolled over.
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L
Getting out on the downhill (low) side of a vehicle
stopped across an incline is dangerous. If the
vehicle rolls over, you could be crushed or killed.
Always get out on the uphill (high) side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the rollover path.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wheels won’t
get good traction. You can’t accelerate as quickly, turning is
more difficult, and you’ll need longer braking distances.
It’s best to use
a low gear when you’re in mud -- the
deeper the mud, the lower the gear. In really deep mud, the
idea is to keep your vehicle moving
so you don’t get stuck.
When you drive on sand, you’ll sense
a change in wheel
traction. But
it will depend upon how loosely packed the
sand is. On loosely packed sand (as on beaches
or sand
dunes) your tires will tend to sink into the sand. This 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
these surfaces, 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 on frozen lakes, ponds or rivers can be
dangerous. 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 only.
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.
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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.
A CAUTION: I
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 shallow water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires, and you could lose
traction and roll the vehicle over. Don’t drive
through rushing water.
See “Driving Through Water” in the Index for more
information on driving through water.
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.
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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?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
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?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid
a major storm system?
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.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
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.
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.
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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
or loose snow
-- drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try
not to break the fragile
If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels wil
polish the surface under the tires even more.
, blowing
traction.
.I spin and
Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when
you 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.
0 Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
0 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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Following Distance Making Turns
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.
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 extra
wiring and a heavy-duty turn signal flasher (included
in
the optional trailering package).
The 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.
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When towing a trailer, the 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.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
You should use THIRD
(3) when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in THIRD
(3) when towing a
trailer will minimize heat buildup and extend the life
of
your transmission.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill.
If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet. Then turn your wheels into the
curb
if facing downhill or into traffic if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
5. Release the regular brakes.
brake and shift into
PARK
(P).
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Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM retailer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. See “Roadside Assistance”
in
the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed since
it was
factory-new
by adding things 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 That your vehicle has all-wheel drive.
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can move the shift lever for
the transmission.
0 If there was an accident, what was damaged. When
the towing service
arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains these towing
instructions. The operator may want to see them.
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/i CAJTION:
To help avoid injury to you or others:
Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not
Never get under your vehicle after it has
Always use separate safety chains on each
Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being
towed.
fully secured.
been lifted by the tow truck.
side when towing a vehicle.
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
turned
to the OFF position. 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 transmission
should be in NEUTRAL (N). The parking brake should
be released.
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