Hill and Mountain Roads
:.-. . , , . .;. . . . . . - ,. ..
AM470001
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in flat or rolling
terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re planning to visit
there, here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable.
(See “Off-Road” in the Index
for information about driving off-road.)
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, cooling system and transmission. These parts can work
hard on mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this: let
your engine do some
of the slowing down. Don’t make your brakes do it
all. Shift
to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill. That
way, you will slow down without excessive use of your brakes.
I
CAUT’oN
A If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so hot that they
v- wouldn’t work well. You would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist
your brakes on a steep downhill slope.
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. .
6. Release the regular brakes.
CAUTION
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the shift lever is no
fully in
P (Park) wi-. the parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can
roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle can move suddenl\
y.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move,
when you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps that foll\
ow.
If you have four-wheel drive and your transfer case is in N (Neutral),
your vehicle will be free to
roll, even if your shift lever is in P (Park)
So, be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear-not in N (Neutral).
If you are parking on a hill, or if you’re pulling a trailer, also see
I “Parking On Hills” in the Index. I
When You Are Ready to Leave After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down while you:
Start your engine.
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and stow the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re pulling a \
trailer. .See
the Maintenance Schedule for more on this. Things that are especially
important in trailer operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system, and brake ad\
justment. Each
of these is covered in this manual, and the Index will help you find them
quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these sections before
you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
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ground connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to start your
vehicle, and the bad grounding could damage the electrical systems.
CAUTION
A You could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the parking brake firmly
on each vehicle. Put an automatic transmission in
P (Park) or a
manual transmission in
N (Neutral).
If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure the transfer case is
not in N (Neutral).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all lights that aren’t
needed, and radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both \
batteries.
And it could save your radio!
I
I jou leave a radio on, it could be badly damaged. The repairs woulc
be covered by your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
Find the positive
(t) and negative (-) terminals on each battery,
CAUTION
A Using a match near a battery can cause battery gas to explode.
b People have been hurt doing this, and some have been blinded. \
Use
a flashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the batteries have enough water.
You don’t need to add
water
to the Delco Freedom@ battery installed in every new GM
vehicle. But if a battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount of
fluid
is there. If it is low, add water to take care of that first. If you
don’t, explosive gas could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can bum you. Don’t get
it on you. If’
you accidentally get it in your eyes or on your skin, flush the place
with water and get medical help immediately. c
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or missing insulation. If
they do, you could get a shock. The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some things you should\
know.
Positive (t) will go to positive (t) and negative (-) will go to negative
5-4
Service & Appearance Care
.
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle . This section
begins with service and fuel information. and then it shows
how to check
important fluid and lubricant levels
. There is also technical information about
your vehicle. and a section devoted to its appearance care
.
Service ........................................................................\
........................................... 6-3
Fuel ........................................................................\
................................................ 6-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
....................................................................... \
6-8
Hood Release
........................................................................\
............................ 6-8
Engine Oil ........................................................................\
.................................. 6-9
Air Cleaner
........................................................................\
............................... 6-16
Automatic Transmission Fluid
........................................................................\
. 6-17
Manual Transmission Fluid ........................................................................\
..... 6-20
Hydraulic Clutch
........................................................................\
....................... 6-21
Transfer Case
........................................................................\
.......................... 6-23
Front
Axle ........................................................................\
................................. 6-24
Rear Axle
........................................................................\
................................. 6-24
Engine Coolant
........................................................................\
........................ 6-25
Power Steering Fluid
........................................................................\
............... 6-29
Windshield Washer Fluid
........................................................................\
......... 6-31
Brake Master Cylinder
........................................................................\
............. 6-32
6-1
I CAUTION
I 10 Operating the engine with the air cleaner off can cause you or others
to be burned. The air cleaner not only cleans the air, it
stops flame
if the engine backfires.
If it isn’t there, and the engine backfires, y(--
could be burned. Don’t drive with it
off, and be cr-ful working on
the engine with the air cleaner
off.
~
NOTICE I
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a damaging engine fire. And,
dirt
can easily get into your engine, which will damage it. Always have the
air cleaner
in place when you’re driving.
Ib remove the air cleaner filter on a gas engine, turn the wing nuts
counterclockwise. Remove the cover and change the filter.
-
Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change:
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid level is when the
engine
oil is changed. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to change your fluid. See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in \
the Index.
How to Check:
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may choose to have this
done at a General Motors dealership Sewice Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions here, or you could
get
a false reading on the dipstick.
NOTICE I
I
Too much or too little fluid can damage your transmission. Too much can
mean that some of the fluid could come out and fail
on hot engine parts,
I
starting a fire. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you check-your
transmission fluid.
Wait at least
30 minutes before checking the transmission fluid level if you
have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic-especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
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Service & Appearance Care
To get the right reading, the fluid must be at normal operating \
temperature,
which is 180°F
to 200°F (82°C to 93°C).
To check the transmission fluid hot: Get the vehicle warmed up by driving
about
15 miles (24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F (10°C). If
it's colder than 50°F (lO°C), drive the vehicle in 0 (3rd gear) until the engine
temperature gage moves and then remains steady for ten minutes.\
Then
follow the
hot check procedures.
To check transmission fluid cold: A cold check is made after the vehicle
has been sitting for eight hours or more with the engine
off and is used only
as a reference. Let the engine run at idle for
five minutes if outside
temperatures are 50°F (IO'C) or more. If it's colder than 50°F (1 O'C), you
may have
to idle the engine longer. A hot check must follow when fluid is
added during a cold check.
To check the fluid hot or cold:
Park your vehicle on a level place.
Place the shift lever in P (Park) with the parking brake applied.
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever throu\
gh each
gear range, pausing for about three seconds
in each range. Then,
position the shift lever in
P (Park).
Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more.
Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
1. Flip the handle up and then pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a
clean raa or DaDer towel.
PO229
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and then pull it back out
again.
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8
PO053
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower level, The fluid
level must be in the
COLD area for a cold check or in the HOT area or
cross-hatched area for a hot check.
4. If the fluid level is where it should be, push the dipstick back in all the
way; then flip the handle down to lock the dipstick in place.
HOW To Add Fluid:
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what kind of transmission
fluid
to use. See “Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper fluid to bring the level
up to the COLD area for a cold check or the HOT area for a hot check. It
doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than a pint. Don’t overfill. We
recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@IIE, because fluids with that
label are especially made for your automatic transmission. Damag\
e caused by
fluid other than
DEXRON@llE is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as described under “How To
Check”.
When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the dipstick back in all the
way; then flip the handle down
to lock the dipstick in place.
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Service & Appearance Cam
Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check:
A good time to have it checked is when the engine oil is changed. However,
the fluid in your manual transmission doesn’t require changing.
How to Check:
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may choose to have this
done at your dealership Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions here, or you could
get a false reading.
IYW I ILL
1 Too much or too little fluid can damage your transmission. Too much can 1
mean that some of the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts,
starting a fire. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid,
I I
Check the fluld level only when your engine is off, the vehicle is parked on a
level place and the transmission is cool enough for you to rest your fingers
on the transmission case.
Then, follow these steps:
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1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Check that the lubricant level is up to the bottom of the filler plug hole.
3. If the fluid level is good, install the plug and be sure it is fully seated. If
the fluid level is low, add more fluid as described in the next steps.
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