Operation Manual

AVOIDING COLLISION AND ROLL-
OVER
WARNING
Failure to operate this vehicle in a safe and
prudent manner may result in loss of control
or an accident.
Be alert and drive defensively at all times.
Obey all traffic regulations. Avoid exces-
sive speed, high speed cornering, or
sudden steering maneuvers, because
these driving practices could cause you to
lose control of your vehicle. As with any
vehicle, a loss of control could result in a
collision with other vehicles or objects, or
cause the vehicle to rollover, particularly if
the loss of control causes the vehicle to
slide sideways. Be attentive at all times,
and avoid driving when tired. Never drive
when under the influence of alcohol or
drugs (including prescription or over-the-
counter drugs which may cause drowsi-
ness). Always wear your seat belt as
outlined in the “Seat belts” in the “1.
Safety — Seats, seat belts and supple-
mental restraint system” section of this
manual, and also instruct your passengers
to do so.
Seat belts help reduce the risk of injury in
collisions and rollovers. In a rollover crash,
an unbelted or improperly belted person is
significantly more likely to be injured or
killed than a person properly wearing a
seat belt.
OFF-ROAD RECOVERY
If driving the right side or left side wheels
may unintentionally leave the road surface.
Maintain control of the vehicle by following
the procedure below. Please note that this
procedure is only a general guide. The
vehicle must be driven as appropriate
based on the conditions of the vehicle,
road and traffic.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Do not apply the brakes.
3. Maintain a firm grip on the steering
wheel with both hands and try to hold a
straight course.
4. When appropriate, slowly release the
accelerator pedal to gradually slow the
vehicle.
5. If there is nothing in the way, steer the
vehicle to follow the road while the
vehicle speed is reduced. Do not
attempt to drive the vehicle back onto
the road surface until vehicle speed is
reduced.
6. When it is safe to do so, gradually turn
the steering wheel until both tires
return to the road surface. When all
tires are on the road surface, steer the
vehicle to stay in the appropriate
driving lane.
.
If you decide that it is not safe to
return the vehicle to the road surface
based on vehicle, road or traffic
conditions, gradually slow the vehi-
cle to a stop in a safe place off the
road.
RAPID AIR PRESSURE LOSS
Rapid air pressure loss or a “blow-out” can
occur if the tire is punctured or is damaged
due to hitting a curb or pothole. Rapid air
pressure loss can also be caused by
driving on under-inflated tires.
Rapid air pressure loss can affect the
handling and stability of the vehicle,
especially at highway speeds.
Help prevent rapid air pressure loss by
maintaining the correct air pressure and
visually inspect the tires for wear and
damage. See “Wheels and tires” in the “8.
Starting and driving 5-7