Driving tips
On-Road Driving Tips
Utility vehicles have higher ground clearance and a nar- rower track to make them capable of performing in a wide variety of off-road applications. Specific design character- istics give them a higher center of gravity than conven- tional passenger cars. An advantage of the higher ground clearance is a better view of the road, allowing you to anticipate problems. They are not designed for cornering at the same speeds as conventional passenger cars any more than low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily in off- road conditions. Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers. As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or vehicle rollover.
Off-Road Driving Tips
You will encounter many types of terrain driving off-road. You should be familiar with the terrain and area before proceeding. There are many types of surface conditions: hard packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow and ice. Every surface has a different effect on your vehicle’s steering, handling and traction. Controlling your vehicle is one of the keys to successful off-road driving, so always keep a firm grip on the steering wheel and maintain a good driving posture.
Avoid sudden accelerations, turns or braking. In most cases there are no road signs, posted speed limits or signal lights. Therefore you will need to use your own good judgment on what is safe and what is not. When on a trail, you should always be looking ahead for surface obstacles and changes in terrain. The key is to plan your future driving route while remembering what you are currently driving over.
CAUTION! Never park your vehicle over dry grass or other com- bustible materials. The heat from your vehicle exhaust system could cause a fire.
WARNING! Always wear your seat belt and firmly tie down cargo. Unsecured cargo can become projectiles in an off-road situation.
When To Use Low (L Off-Road) With The 4WD Lock Lever Engaged — If Equipped
When driving off-road, shift into low (L Off-Road [if equipped] ) and activate the 4WD LOCK. This will provide additional traction and activates the numerous off-road features to improve handling and control on slippery or difficult terrain. Due to the sustained lower gearing, low (L Off-Road [if equipped] ) with 4WD LOCK engaged will allow the engine to operate in a higher power range. This will allow you to cross over obstacles and descend hills, with improved control and less effort.
NOTE: For maximum off-road performance, premium fuel is recommended. While the vehicle will operate on regular fuel when in L Off-Road mode (if equipped), the engine has been calibrated for maximum performance using premium fuel.
Driving In Snow, Mud And Sand
There is a drastic reduction in traction when driving in snow, mud or sand. The vehicle will be less responsive to steering, acceleration and braking inputs. Therefore, you should accelerate slowly, leave greater stopping distances and avoid abrupt vehicle maneuvers. You want to keep a slow constant steady pace. The key is to maintain the vehicle’s momentum.
Snow
In heavy snow or for additional control and traction at slower speeds, activate the 4WD LOCK and shift the transaxle to low (L Off-Road [if equipped] ) if necessary. Do not shift to a lower gear than necessary to maintain headway. Over-revving the engine can spin the wheels and traction will be lost. If you start to slow to a stop, try turning your steering wheel no more than a 1/4 turn quickly back and forth, while still applying throttle. This will allow the tires to get a fresh bite and help maintain your momentum.
CAUTION! On icy or slippery roads, do not downshift at high engine RPM’s or vehicle speeds because engine brak- ing may cause skidding and loss of control.
Mud
Deep mud creates a great deal of suction around the tires and is very difficult to get through. You should use low (L Off-Road [if equipped] ) with the 4WD LOCK engaged and maintain your momentum. If you start to slow to a stop, try turning your steering wheel no more than a 1/4 turn quickly back and forth for additional traction. Mud holes pose an increased threat of vehicle damage and getting stuck. They are normally full of debris from previous vehicles getting stuck. As a good practice before entering any mud hole, get out and determine how deep it is, if there are any hidden obstacles and if the vehicle can be safely recovered if stuck.
Sand
Soft sand is very difficult to travel through with full tire pressure. When crossing soft sandy spots in a trail maintain your vehicle’s momentum and do not stop. The key to driving in soft sand is using the appropriate tire pressure, accelerating slowly, avoiding abrupt maneuvers and main- taining the vehicle’s momentum. If you are going to be driving on large soft sandy areas or dunes, reduce your tire pressure to a minimum of 15 psi (103 kPa) to allow for a greater tire surface area. You should use low (L Off-Road [if equipped] ) with the 4WD LOCK engaged and ESC turned off. Reduced tire pressure will drastically improve your traction and handling, while driving on the soft sand, but you must return the tires to normal air pressure before driving on pavement or other hard surfaces. Be sure you have a way to reinflate the tires prior to reducing the pressure.
CAUTION! Reduced tire pressures may cause tire unseating and total loss of air pressure. To reduce the risk of tire unseating, while at a reduced tire pressure, reduce your speed and avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
Hill Climbing
Hill climbing requires good judgment and a good under- standing of your abilities and your vehicle’s limitations. Hills can cause serious problems. Some are just too steep to climb and should not be attempted. You should always feel confident with the vehicle and your abilities. You should always climb hills straight up and down. Never attempt to climb a hill on an angle.
Before Climbing A Steep Hill
As you approach a hill consider its grade or steepness. Determine if it is too steep. Look to see what the traction is on the hill side trail. Is the trail straight up and down? What is on top and the other side? Are there ruts, rocks, branches or other obstacles on the path? Can you safely recover the vehicle if something goes wrong? If everything looks good and you feel confident, then you should use low (L Off-Road [if equipped]) with the 4WD LOCK engaged and proceed with caution maintaining your mo- mentum as you climb the hill.
Driving Up Hill
Once you have determined your ability to proceed and have shifted into the appropriate gear, line your vehicle up for the straightest possible run. Accelerate with an easy constant throttle and apply more power as you start up the hill. Do not race forward into a steep grade; the abrupt change of grade could cause you to lose control. If the front end begins to bounce, ease off the throttle slightly to bring all four tires back on the ground. As you approach the crest of the hill, ease off the throttle and slowly proceed over the top. If the wheels start to slip as you approach the crest of a hill, ease off the accelerator and maintain headway by turning the steering wheel no more than a 1/4 turn quickly back and forth. This will provide a fresh bite into the surface and will usually provide enough traction to com- plete the climb. If you do not make it to the top, place the vehicle in REVERSE and back straight down the grade using engine resistance along with the vehicle brakes.
WARNING! Never attempt to climb a hill at an angle or turn around on a steep grade. Driving across an incline increases the risk of a rollover, which may result in severe injury.
Driving Down Hill
Before driving down a steep hill you need to determine if it is too steep for a safe descent. What is the surface traction? Is the grade too steep to maintain a slow con- trolled descent? Are there obstacles? Is it a straight descent? Is there plenty of distance at the base of the hill to regain control if the vehicle descends to fast? If you feel confident in your ability to proceed then make sure you are in low (L Off-Road [if equipped] ) with the 4WD LOCK engaged and proceed with caution. Allow engine and hill descent brak- ing to control the descent and apply your brakes if neces- sary, but do not allow the tires to lock.
WARNING! Do not descend a steep grade in NEUTRAL. Use vehicle brakes in conjunction with engine braking. Descending a grade too fast could cause you to lose control and be seriously injured or killed.
Driving Across An Incline
If at all possible avoid driving across an incline. If it is necessary, know your vehicle’s abilities. Driving across an incline places more weight on the down-hill wheels, which increases the possibilities of a down-hill slide or rollover. Make sure the surface has good traction with firm and stable soils. If possible transverse the incline at an angle heading slightly up or down.
WARNING! Driving across an incline increases the risk of a roll- over, which may result in severe injury.
If You Stall Or Begin To Lose Headway
If you stall or begin to lose headway while climbing a steep hill, allow your vehicle to come to a stop and immediately apply the brake. Restart the engine and shift to REVERSE. Back slowly down the hill allowing engine and hill descent braking to control the descent and apply your brakes if necessary, but do not allow the tires to lock.
WARNING! If the engine stalls or you lose headway or cannot make it to the top of a steep hill or grade, never attempt to turn around. To do so may result in tipping and rolling the vehicle, which may result in severe injury. Always back carefully straight down a hill in RE- VERSE gear. Never back down a hill in NEUTRAL using only the vehicle brakes. Never drive diagonally across a hill, always drive straight up or down.
Driving Through Water
Extreme care should be taken crossing any type of water. Water crossings should be avoided if possible, and only be attempted when necessary in a safe responsible manner. You should only drive through areas which are designated and approved. You should tread lightly and avoid damage to the environment. You should know your vehicles abili- ties and be able to recover it if something goes wrong. You should never stop or shut a vehicle off when crossing deep water unless you ingested water into the engine air intake. If the engine stalls, do not attempt to restart it. Determine if it has ingested water first. The key to any crossing is low and slow. You want to use low (L Off-Road [if equipped] ) with the 4WD LOCK engaged and proceed very slowly with a constant slow speed (3-5 mph [5–8 km/h] maxi- mum) and light throttle. Keep the vehicle moving; do not try to accelerate through the crossing. After crossing any water higher than the bottom of the axle differentials, you should inspect all of the vehicle fluids for signs of water ingestion.
CAUTION! Water ingestion into the transaxle, transfer case, engine or vehicle interior can occur if you drive too fast or through too deep of water. Water can cause permanent damage to engine, driveline or other vehicle compo- nents and your brakes will be less effective once wet and/or muddy.
Before You Cross Any Type Of Water
As you approach any type of water, you need to determine if you can cross it safely and responsibly. If necessary, get out and walk through the water or probe it with a stick. You need to be sure of its depth, approach angle, current and bottom condition. Be careful of murky or muddy waters; check for hidden obstacles. Make sure you will not be intruding on any wildlife, and you can recover the vehicle if necessary. The key to a safe crossing is the water depth, current and bottom conditions. On soft bottoms, the
vehicle will sink in, effectively increasing the water level on the vehicle. Be sure to consider this when determining the depth and the ability to safely cross.
Crossing Puddles, Pools, Flooded Areas Or Other Standing Water
Puddles, pools, flooded or other standing water areas normally contain murky or muddy waters. These water types normally contain hidden obstacles and make it difficult to determine an accurate water depth, approach angle, and bottom condition. Murky or muddy water holes are where you want to hook up tow straps prior to entering. This makes for a faster, cleaner and easier vehicle recovery. If you are able to determine you can safely cross, than proceed using the low and slow method.
CAUTION! Muddy waters can reduce the cooling system effective- ness by depositing debris onto the radiator.
After Driving Off-Road
Off-road operation puts more stress on your vehicle than does most on-road driving. After going off-road, it is always a good idea to check for damage. That way you can get any problems taken care of right away and have your vehicle ready when you need it. • Completely inspect the underbody of your vehicle.
Check tires, body structure, steering, suspension, and exhaust system for damage.
• Inspect the radiator for mud and debris and clean as required.
• Check threaded fasteners for looseness, particularly on the chassis, drivetrain components, steering, and sus- pension. Retighten them, if required, and torque to the values specified in the Service Manual.
• Check for accumulations of plants or brush. These things could be a fire hazard. They might hide damage to fuel lines, brake hoses, axle pinion seals, and propeller shafts.
• After extended operation in mud, sand, water, or similar dirty conditions, have the radiator, fan, brake rotors, wheels, brake linings, and axle yokes inspected and cleaned as soon as possible.
WARNING! Abrasive material in any part of the brakes may cause excessive wear or unpredictable braking. You might not have full braking power when you need it to prevent a collision. If you have been operating your vehicle in dirty conditions, get your brakes checked and cleaned as necessary.
• If you experience unusual vibration after driving in mud, slush or similar conditions, check the wheels for impacted material. Impacted material can cause a wheel imbalance and freeing the wheels of it will correct the situation.
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