Rocking your vehicle to get it out, If your vehicle is stuck, In sand, mud, ice, or snow – Saturn 2009 ASTRA User Manual

Page 175: Rocking your vehicle to, Get it out

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Repeat this until help arrives but
only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.

If it takes some time for help
to arrive, now and then when you
run the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help
with the headlamps. Do this as little
as possible to save fuel.

If Your Vehicle is Stuck
in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow

Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It
Out
on page 8-29.

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CAUTION

If you let your vehicle’s tires spin
at high speed, they can explode,
and you or others could be
injured. The vehicle can overheat,
causing an engine compartment
fire or other damage. Spin the
wheels as little as possible and
avoid going above 35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the
speedometer.

For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains
on page 9-60.

Rocking Your Vehicle to
Get It Out

Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around
the front wheels. Turn off any
stability system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a
forward gear, or with a manual
transmission, between 1 (First) or
2 (Second) and R (Reverse),
spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears.
Release the accelerator pedal while
shifting, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal when the
transmission is in gear. Slowly
spinning the wheels in the forward
and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that could free
the vehicle. If that does not get the
vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed
out, see Towing Your Vehicle on
page 9-73
.

Driving and Operating

8-29

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