Vehicle movement (Chevrolet Niva 1)

Before starting to drive, check the position of the transfer case lever - it must correspond to the road conditions.

Start moving the car in first gear and, as the crankshaft speed increases, shift to higher gears in a timely manner.

To reverse, move the gearshift lever to the position corresponding to the reverse gear engagement. To do this, after selecting the engagement line, press the gearshift lever down.

Caution: Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle is completely stopped.

To overcome steep climbs, when driving on sticky soils, and to obtain maximum traction on paved roads, first engage the lowest gear in the transfer case.

To overcome difficult road sections, it is recommended to lock the center differential in the transfer case by switching the lever to the appropriate position with the clutch pedal fully depressed.

It is recommended to lock after a slight wheel slip. In case of a road with a hard surface, it is necessary to drive about 1 meter, changing the angular position of the steering wheel.

Caution: To avoid damage and breakdowns, avoid shifting with slipping wheels.

Continuous movement of the vehicle with a locked differential will lead to failure of the transmission units. In case of difficult locking, it is necessary to avoid applying excessive force. In such cases, it is necessary to repeat the procedures described above.

After overcoming difficult sections, unlock the differential - driving the car at high speed on good roads with a locked differential worsens the car's handling, reduces the service life of the power transmission mechanisms, increases tire wear and fuel consumption, and when braking the car can lead to skidding.



If it is difficult to unlock the differential, do it while driving in reverse along a straight line.

Attention. To avoid the occurrence of dangerous skidding of the vehicle, it is not allowed to engage the differential lock while driving at high speeds.

After crossing fords and driving through deep snow, as well as after washing the car or during prolonged driving on a wet road, when water gets into the brake mechanisms of the wheels, perform several smooth braking movements while driving to dry the discs, drums and brake linings.

Attention. If possible, drive the car at constant speeds. Sharp acceleration and deceleration, driving the car at high speeds lead to excessive fuel consumption. In addition, excessive fuel consumption is also caused by: insufficient air pressure in the tires, worn or dirty spark plugs, use of oils with a higher viscosity than recommended for the engine and transmission units.

While driving, monitor the operation of various systems using the corresponding instruments and control lamps. Under normal conditions, the red light lamps should not light - their inclusion signals the need to check the corresponding system.

Overcoming fords, puddles

Attention

• When driving through water obstacles, you must be extremely careful, as they may hide holes or underwater obstacles that can damage wheel disks or suspension parts. It is not allowed to overcome water obstacles deeper than 0.3 m. Entering the water and wading should be done carefully, not allowing a wave to form in front of the radiator grille, as in this case water may enter the engine through the air intake of the air filter. This will inevitably lead to engine failure.
• To avoid water getting into the ignition system due to the operation of the electric fan, turn off the air conditioner before crossing water obstacles.

After a long period of operation of the vehicle in water, it is necessary to check for water penetration into the front and rear axle housings and change the oil if necessary.



Warning: Be especially careful and attentive in the first minutes after the rain starts, as wet dust on the road surface forms a slippery film, which sharply reduces the tires' grip on the road.

Regularly apply light braking to dry the brakes while driving, as the effectiveness of wet brakes drops sharply.

When overtaking, turn on the windshield wiper to the maximum mode - this will help to avoid loss of visibility due to possible water ejection from under the wheels of the overtaken vehicle. It is advisable to take such precautions if you are overtaken.

Do not overtake in rainy weather if the water cloud from under the wheels of the vehicle in front completely obscures the view of the overtaking zone.

To avoid driving in a water plume from the cars in front, increase your distance and reduce your speed.

When driving along sidewalks during or after rain, or when driving through puddles, reduce your speed so that splashes from under your car's wheels do not fall on pedestrians.

Driving in winter

Warning. Be very careful on wet or slippery road sections – avoid sudden braking and abrupt pressing and releasing of the accelerator pedal. Drive the car smoothly, without abrupt movements of the steering wheel. Reduce speed only by gradually shifting to lower gears with partial braking with the service brakes. If, despite everything, the car begins to skid, turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid and smoothly operate the steering wheel and the accelerator pedal to level the car.



Ice often forms at road intersections due to wheel slippage when starting off. Therefore, when approaching such places, begin to reduce speed in advance on a dry section.

In winter, it can be difficult to get moving on a slippery surface. To do this, engage second gear and, slowly releasing the clutch pedal, smoothly increase engine speed. In some cases, it can be useful to lock the center differential before starting to move.

In the mountainous area

Attention. When driving uphill, shift to lower gears in a timely manner, avoiding engine overload and vehicle jerks. If necessary, engage a lower gear in the transfer case.

On long descents, use the engine in braking mode with partial use of the service brakes.

Warning: Do not descend with the clutch disengaged and using only the service brakes. This will cause the brakes to heat up and the brake fluid to boil. Keep in mind that the boiling point of the brake fluid decreases with increasing altitude. Boiling of the brake fluid in the wheel cylinders means complete failure of the service brakes - the brake pedal will fall through.

In mountainous areas, keep to the right side of the road. Narrower road widths and a complex route profile require more attention and caution. Use sound and light signals when turning. When stopping on an uphill or downhill slope, turn the steering wheel all the way so that if the car starts moving on its own, its wheels rest against the curb.

On a slippery road, do not start driving up a steep hill until the car in front has reached the top.

Power steering

The vehicle is equipped with power steering, which significantly reduces the effort on the steering wheel. If the power steering does not function (for example, when towing a vehicle with the engine not running), the ability to steer the car is retained, but this requires applying significantly more force to the steering wheel. Functional noise is allowed in extreme steering wheel positions.

Warning

• Do not coast with the engine off! In this case, the power steering does not work, so you endanger yourself and other road users.
• It is not allowed to hold the steering wheel in extreme positions for a long time.

[The text of the article was obtained from the website «chevyman.ru»]