1997 GMC Jimmy Owner's Manual - Page 191

Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow or Ice When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wl~ecls won't get good traction. You ca11.t accelerate ;ISquickly, turning is nm-e difficult, and you'll need longer braking distances. It's best to use a low gear when you're i n mud -- the deeper the mud, the lower the gear. I n really deep mud. the idea is to keep your vehicle moving so ~ O L Id o n ' t get stuck. When you drive on sand, you'll sense a change i n wheel traction. But it will depend upon how loosely p ~ ~ k the ed sand is. On loosely prncked sand (as on beaches o r sand dunes) yourtires will tend t o sink into the sand. This has a11 effect on steering. accelerating and braking. You may want t o reduce the air pressure i n your tires slightly when driving on sand. This will ilnprove 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 C ~ L I you t o slide S ~ out of colltl*ol. Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or w s can be dangerous. Underwat.er springs, currents under the ice, or sudden thaws can weaken the ice. Your vehicle could fall through the ice and youand your passengers could drown. Drive your vehicle on safe surfaces only. Driving in Water 4-26