1993 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN four wheel drive

It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the shift lever is nut
four-wheel drive, also be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear.
Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You
or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, follow the steps below. If you are parking on a
hill,
or if you’re pulling a trailer, see “Parking on Hills’’ or “Trailer
Towing” in the Index.
fully in P (Park) with the parking brake firmly set. If you have
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send your engine’\
s driving power
to
all four wheels for extra traction. To get the most satisfaction out of
four-wheel drive, you must be familiar with its operation. Read the pan that
follows before using four-wheel drive. You
should use 2H for most normal
driving conditions.
I
Driving in the 4H or 4L positions for a long time on dry or wet pavement
could shorten the life of your vehicle’s drivetrain.
Transfer Case
2-30
ProCarManuals.com

The transfer case shift lever is on the floor to the right of the driver. Use this
lever to shift into and
out of four-wheel drive. An indicator near t9e lever
shows you the transfer case settings:
4L
ON
2H
4H
The front axle portion of the indicator diagram will light up when you shift into
four-wheel drive. A slight delay between shifting and the indic\
ator’s lighting is
normal. If the indicator does not light up, or
if the front axle light does not go
out after you shift
out of four-wheel drive, have your dealer check your
system.
When your headlights or parking lights are
on, rotate the dial to the right of
your headlight switch
to adjust the brightness of your transfer case indicator
light. Rotate the dial up
to brighten, or down to dim, the indicator light.
Transfer Case Shift Positions
2H (High): This setting is for driving in most street and highway situations.
Your front axle
is not engaged in two-wheel drive.
4H (High): This setting engages your front axle to help drive your vehicle.
Use
4H when you need extra traction, such as on wet or icy roads, or in
most
off -road situations.
2-31
ProCarManuals.com

Features & Contmls
N (Neutral): Shift to this setting only when your vehicle needs to be towed or
when using a power take
off.
4L (Low): This setting also engages your front axle to give you extra traction,
but should be used only for off-road or on extremely slippery surfaces.
You can shift from
2H to 4H or from 4H to 2H while the vehicle is moving.
Your front axle will engage faster if you take your foot
off of the accelerator
for a few seconds after you shift. In extremely cold weather it may be
necessary to stop or slow the vehicle to shift out of
2H.
To shift into or out of 4L or N (Neutral):
1. Slow the vehicle to a roll, about 3 mph (5 km/h) and shift your
transmission into neutral.
2. Shift the transfer case shift lever in one continuous motion.
Don’t pause in
N (Neutral) as you shift the transfer case into 4L, or your
gears could clash.
Remember that driving in
4H or 4L may reduce fuel economy. Also, driving in
four-wheel drive on
dry pavement could cause your tires to wear faster and
make your transfer case harder to shift.
Front Axle Locking Feature
The front axle locks and unlocks automatically when you shift \
the transfer
case.
A slight delay for the axle to lock or unlock is normal. If the outside
temperature is very hot, or the vehicle has been used under hard driving
conditions, there may be a slight delay for the axle to unlock.
2-32
ProCarManuals.com

Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find information about driving different kinds of roads and in
varying weather conditions . We’ve also included many other useful tips on
driving
.
Road Signs ........................................................................\
.................................... 4-2
Defensive Driving
........................................................................\
.......................... 4-9
Drunken Driving
........................................................................\
........................... 4-10
Control of a Vehicle
.................. ; ........................................................................\
. 4-13
Braking
........................................................................\
...................................... 4-13
Steering
........................................................................\
.................................... 4-18
Steering in Emergencies
........................................................................\
......... 4-19
Passing
........................................................................\
..................................... 4-21
Loss of Control ........................................................................\
........................ 4-23
Driving Guidelines (Utility
Models) ..................................................................... 4-24
Off-Road Driving With Your Four-wheel Drive Vehicle
.................................... 4-24
Driving at Night
........................................................................\
........................... 4-35
Driving in the Rain
........................................................................\
...................... 4-37
Driving in Fog, Mist and Haze
........................................................................\
.. 4-40
City Driving
........................................................................\
.................................. 4-42
Freeway Driving
........................................................................\
........................... 4-43
Driving
a Long Distance ........................................................................\
............. 4-44
Hill and Mountain Roads ........................................................................\
............ 4-47
Parking
on Hills ........................................................................\
........................... 4-49
Winter Driving
........................................................................\
.............................. 4-53
Towing a Trailer
........................................................................\
........................... 4-56
Power Winches
........................................................................\
............................ 4-64
4-1
ProCarManuals.com

Driving Guidelines (Utility Models)
This multipurpose passenger vehicle is defined as a utility vehicle in
Consumer Information Regulations issued by the National Highway \
Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the United States Department of
Transportation. Utility vehicles have higher ground clearance and\
a narrower
track to make them capable
of performing in a wide variety of off-road
applications. Specific design characteristics give them a higher center of
gravity than ordinary cars. An advantage of the higher ground clearance is a
better view
of the road allowing you to anticipate problems. They are not
designed for cornering at the same speeds as conventional 2-whe\
el drive
vehicles any more than low-slung sports cars are designed to p\
erform
satisfactorily under off-road conditions. If at
all possible, avoid sharp turns or
abrupt maneuvers.
As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate this
vehicle correctly may result in
loss of control or vehicle rollover.
OffmRoad Driving with Your Four-Wheel
Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel drive. (Also, see
“Anti-lock Brakes” in the Index.)
If your vehicle doesn’t have four-wheel drive,
you shouldn’t drive off-road unless you’re on
a level, solid surface.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have some definite hazards.
The greatest of these is the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the great North American road system behind.
Traffic lanes aren’t marked. Curves aren’t banked. There a\
re no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill
or downhill. In short, you’ve gone right
back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that’s why it’s very important
that you read this guide. You’ll find many driving tips and suggestions. These
will help make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For example, be sure to
have all necessary maintenance and service work done. Be sure you read \
all
the information about your four-wheel drive vehicle in this manual.
Is there
enough fuel?
Is the spare tire fully inflated? Are the fluid levels up where
they should be? What are the local laws that apply to off-roading where you’ll
be driving?
If you don’t know, you should check with law enforcement people
in the area. Will you be on someone’s private land?
If so, be sure to get the
necessary permission.
4-24
ProCarManuals.com

Your Driving and the Road
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument \
panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn
or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer
lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about
to turn, change lanes,
or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument pan\
el will flash for
turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think \
drivers behind you are seeing your signal when they are not.
It’s important to
check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or
steep downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that they would get hot and no longer work well.
On
a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed to 45 mph (70
kmlh) or less to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If you have an automatic transmission, you should use D (or, as you need to,
a lower gear) when towing a trailer. Operating your vehicle in D when towing
a trailer will minimize heat buildup and extend the
life of your transmission.
Or,
if you have a manual transmission with fifth gear and you are to\
wing a
trailer, it’s better not
to use fifth gear, just drive in fourth gear (or, as you
need to, a lower gear).
Parking on Hilk
You really should not park your rig on a hill. If something goes wrong, your
rig could start
to move. People can be injured and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into P (Park) yet, or into gear
for a manual transmission.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3, When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes\
until the
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking brake, and \
then
chocks absorb the load.
shift
to P (Park), or R (Reverse) for a manual transmission.
5. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure the transfer case \
is in
a
drive gear-not in
N (Neutral).
4-62
ProCarManuals.com

. .
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.
4-63
ProCarManuals.com

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
ProCarManuals.com