Land Rover Freelander 2003my Owners Handbook 2nd Edition Nas Rover

130 

Off-Road Driving
131
Off-Road Driving
Off-Road DrivingBEFORE YOU DRIVE
Before venturing off-road, it is absolutely 
essential that inexperienced drivers become 
fully familiar with the vehicles controls and 
also study the off-road driving techniques 
described on the following pages.
WARNING
•Off-road driving can be hazardous! DO 
NOT take unnecessary risks. 
•Be prepared for emergencies at all times.
•Your vehicle has higher ground clearance 
and hence a higher center of gravity than 
an ordinary...

Off-Road Driving
132
Hill descent control (HDC)
During a descent, if engine braking is 
insufficient to control the vehicle speed, HDC (if 
selected) automatically operates the brakes to 
slow the vehicle and maintain a speed relative 
to the accelerator pedal position 
When driving off-road, HDC can be 
permanently engaged, to ensure that control is 
maintained whenever gear selector positions ‘1’ 
or ‘R’ are selected. ABS and Traction control are 
still fully operational and will assist if the need...

Off-Road Driving
133
Ground clearance
Dont forget to allow for ground clearance 
beneath the body and under the front and rear 
bumpers. Note that the suspension arms are 
situated below the body. Note also that there 
are other parts of the vehicle which may come 
into contact with the ground - take care not to 
ground the vehicle.
Ground clearance is particularly important at 
the bottom of steep slopes, or where wheel ruts 
are unusually deep and where sudden changes 
in the slope of the ground are...

Driving Techniques
134
Driving T ec hniqu esDRIVING ON SOFT SURFACES & DRY 
SAND
The ideal technique for driving on soft sand 
requires the vehicle to be kept moving at all 
times - soft sand causes excessive drag on the 
wheels, resulting in a rapid loss of motion once 
driving momentum is lost. For this reason, gear 
changing should be avoided.
Select the highest suitable gear and REMAIN in 
that gear until a firm surface is reached.
Stopping the vehicle on soft ground, in sand 
or on an incline
If you...

Driving Techniques
135
CLIMBING STEEP SLOPES
ALWAYS follow the fall line of the slope - 
travelling diagonally could encourage the 
vehicle to slide broadside down the slope.
Select gear selector position ‘1’ and engage hill 
descent control (HDC). If the surface is loose or 
slippery, use sufficient speed in the highest 
practical gear to take advantage of your 
vehicles momentum. However, too high a 
speed over a bumpy surface may result in a 
wheel lifting, causing the vehicle to lose 
traction. In...

Driving Techniques
136
DESCENDING STEEP SLOPES
WARNING
Failure to follow these instructions may cause 
the vehicle to roll over.
•Stop the vehicle at least a vehicle length 
before the start of the slope and engage gear 
selector position ‘1’ and hill descent control 
(HDC).
•Unless it is necessary to stop the vehicle in 
order to negotiate obstructions, DO NOT 
touch the brake pedal during the descent - 
the engine and HDC will limit the speed, 
keeping the vehicle under perfect control 
provided the...

Driving Techniques
137
NEGOTIATING A ‘V’ SHAPED GULLY
Observe extreme caution! Steering up either of 
the gully walls could cause the side of the 
vehicle to be trapped against the opposite gully 
wall.
DRIVING IN EXISTING WHEEL TRACKS
As far as possible allow the vehicle to steer 
itself along the bottom of the ruts. However, 
always keep a light hold of the steering wheel to 
prevent it from spinning free.
Particularly in wet conditions, if the steering 
wheel is allowed to spin free, the vehicle may...

Driving Techniques
138
WADING
CAUTION: The maximum advisable wading 
depth is 16 inches (0,4 m).
CAUTION: Severe electrical damage may occur 
if the vehicle remains stationary for any length 
of time when the water level is above the door 
sills.
If the depth of water is likely to exceed 16 
inches (0,4 m), the following precautions 
should be observed:
•Fix a plastic sheet in front of the radiator 
grille to prevent water from soaking the 
engine and mud from blocking the radiator.
•Ensure that the silt...

139
On-Road Driving
On-Road Driving
INSTRUMENTS AND WARNING LIGHTS . . . . . .  141
POWER ASSISTED STEERING . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  141
WARMING UP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  141
VEHICLE HEIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  141
DRIVING PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  142
FUEL ECONOMY  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  143
BREAKDOWN SAFETY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  143