Page 182 of 340

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoid situations that
require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll need to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before you can return to your lane. \
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer to the left, just move that hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do this
so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or other
objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
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 panel 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 around
45 mph
(70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
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Page 183 of 340

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer attached, 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.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until the
chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking brake, and shift to
5. Release the regular brakes.
“P” (Park).
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 store 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. Thin.gs that are especially
important in trailer operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system, and brake
adjustment. 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.
Trailer Light Wiring
See “Trailer Wiring Harness” in the Index.
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Page 186 of 340
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hazard Warning Flashers
.I - -- .‘ -----
others. They also let
police know you have
a problem. Your front
and rear turn signal
lights will flash on
and
off.
But they won’t flash if
you’re braking.
. :
Press the button in to
make your front and
rear turn signal lights
flash on
and off. Your
hazard warning
flashers work
no
matter what position
your key is in, and
even
if the key isn’t in.
To turn off the
flashers, pull out on
the collar.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn signals won’t work.
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Page 188 of 340

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables can reach, but be
sure the vehicles aren’t touching each other. If they are, it could cause a
ground connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to start your
vehicle, and the bad grounding could damage the electrical systems.
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 with a manual transfer case shift lever, be sure the transfer case
is not in
“N’ (Neutral).
needed, and radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both batteries.
And it could save your radio!
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all lights that aren’t
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly damaged. The
repairs wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the positive (+) and
negative
(-) terminals on each battery.
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Page 217 of 340

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is to spin your
wheels. The method known as “rocking” can help you get out when you’re
stuck, but you must use caution.
.. .. .. ., ..., . ....
1 NOTICE: I
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your vehicle as well as
the tires. If
you spin the wheels too fast while shifting your
transmission back and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
I
Rocking your vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will clear the area around
your front wheels. Then shift back and forth between
“R’ (Reverse) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear. If that doesn’t get you out after a few tries,
you may need to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out, see “Towing
Your Vehicle’’ in the Index.
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Page 221 of 340

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
If you try to do your own service work without knowing enough
about it, your vehicle could be damaged.
The 8th digit of your Vehicle Identification Number (VTN) shows the code
letter for your engine. You will find the VIN at the top left
of your
instrument panel. (See “Vehicle Identification Number”
in the Index.)
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher. With the
4.3L (Code
W) engine, use premium unleaded gasoline rated at 9 1 octane or
higher for high power performance, when towing a trailer or with a high
payload requirement. But when operating with a light load as a normal
condition, you may
use middle grade or regular unleaded gasolines.
The gasoline
you use should meet specifications ASTM D48 14 in the U.S.
and CGSB 3.5-92 in Canada. These fuels should have the proper additives,
so you should not have to add anything to the fuel.
In the U.S. and Canada, it’s easy to be sure
you get the right kind of
gasoline (unleaded). You’ll see “UNLEADED” right on the pump. And only
unleaded nozzles will fit into your vehicle’s filler neck.
Be sure the posted octane is at least
91 for premium, 89 for middle grade
and
87 for regular. If the octane is less than 87, you may get a heavy
knocking noise when you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your
engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 91 octane or higher and you still hear heavy
knocking, your engine needs service. But don’t worry if
you hear a little
pinging noise when you’re accelerating or driving up a hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have
to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid of it. It’s the heavy,
constant knock that means
you have a problem.
What about gasoline with blending materials that contain oxygen \
(oxygenates), such as MTBE or alcohol?
MTBE is “methyl tertiary-butyl ether.” Fuel that is no more than
15% MTBE is fine for your vehicle.
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Page 234 of 340
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. Grasp the bottom
of the extension.
Lift up and then
pull out.
5. Disconnect the
electrical
connector for the
cigarette lighter.
Set the extension
aside.
6. Grasp the top of
the heater duct and pull down
gently to remove.
6- 16
Page 236 of 340

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 10. Remove the two screws
at the
engine cover
using
a long
handled screwdriver. The
screws are
not
supposed to come
out of the cover,
only from the
front of dash.
When removing the cover, be careful
not to damage the instrument panel or
the trim.
11. Grasp the bottom
of the cover and
slide it
backwards. Then,
lift
it up and out
of the vehicle.
To Install the Engine Cover:
1. Lift the engine cover into the vehicle and slide it all the way forward.
Make sure the rubber seal is over the latches.
2. Install the two screws at the engine cover. Do not tighten the screws all
the way.
3. Press down on each of the two latches at the bottom of the cover. Make
sure they are secure.
4. Tighten the two screws at the engine cover.
5. Turn the bracket into position and install the bolt. Tighten the nut at the
other end
of the bracket.
6. Put the heater duct over the engine cover studs. Push up on the duct
gently until it snaps into place.
7. Reconnect the electrical connector for the cigarette lighter.
6- 18