Page 209 of 348
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing service tow your vehicle.
They can provide the right equipment and know how to tow it without
damage.
If your vehicle has been changed since
it was factory-new by adding things
like fog lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these things could
be damaged during towing.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, or that it has the four-wheel
drive option.
The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can move the shift lever for the transmission and shift the
transfer case,
if you have one.
0 If there was an accident, what was damaged.
5-7
Page 210 of 348
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key off. The steering
wheel should
be clamped in a straight-ahead position with a clamping
device designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s steering
column lock for this. The transmission (either automatic
or manual) should
be in
“N’ (Neutral) and the transfer case (either manual shift or electronic
shift), if
you have one, should be in 2 WHEEL (two-wheel drive). The
parking brake should be released.
5-8
Page 211 of 348
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing From the Front
NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or the front bumper
system will be damaged.
Use wheel
lift or car-carrier equipment.
Additional ramping may be required for car-carrier equipment.
Use safety chains and wheel straps.
If your vehicle has the four-wheel drive option, a dolly MUST be
used under the rear wheels when towing from the front.
5-9
Page 212 of 348
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing From the Rear
NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or the rear bumper
system will be damaged.
Use wheel lift or car-carrier equipment.
Additional ramping may be required for car-carrier equipment. Use safety chains and wheel straps.
If your vehicle has the four-wheel drive option, a dolly MUST be
used under the front wheels when towing from the rear.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the rear wheels, unless
you have to. If the
vehicle must
be towed on the rear wheels, don’t go more than 35 mph (56
km/h) or farther than 50 miles (80 km) or your transmission will be
damaged.
If these limits must be exceeded, then the rear drive wheels have
to be supported on
a dolly.
5-10
Page 220 of 348

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When the clutch is engaged,
the fan spins faster to provide more air
to cool the engine. In most every day
driving conditions the clutch is
not engaged. This improves fuel economy
and reduces fan noise. Under heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing and/or
high outside temperatures, the fan speed increases when the clutch engages.
So you may hear an increase in fan noise. This is normal and should not be
mistaken as
the transmission slipping or making extra shifts. It is merely the
cooling system functioning properly. The fan will slow down when
additional cooling
is not required and the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the engine. It will go away
as the fan clutch disengages.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving, especially if you
maintain your tires properly. If air goes out of a tire, it’s much more likely
to
leak out slowly. But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few tips
about what to expect and what
to do:
If a front tire fails,
the flat tire will create a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward
that side. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake to a
stop well
out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a skid and may
require the same correction you’d
use in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove
your foot from the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control
by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be very bumpy and
noisy, but
you can still steer. Gently brake to a stop, well off the road if
possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next section shows how to use your jacking equipment
to change a flat tire safely.
5-18
Page 235 of 348

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 (or with a manual transmission, between First or Second gear
and Reverse), 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. Or,
you can use your recovery hooks, if your
vehicle has them.
If you do need to be towed out, see “Towing Your
Vehicle”
in the Index.
Using the Recovery Hooks
I
If you ever get stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow, your vehicle may be
equipped with recovery hooks.
The recovery hooks are provided at the front
of your vehicle. You may need to use them if you’re stuck off-road and
need to be pulled to some place where you can continue driving.
5-33
Page 239 of 348

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Fuel
The 8th digit of your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) 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 91 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 9
1 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.
Ethanol is ethyl or grain alcohol. Properly-blended fuel that is no more than
10% ethanol is fine for your vehicle.
Methanol is methyl or wood alcohol.
NOTICE:
Fuel that is more than 5% methanol is bad for your vehicle.
Don’t use it. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel syst\
em and
also damage plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t be
covered under your warranty. And even at
5% or less, there
must be “cosolvents” and corrosion preventers in this fuel\
to
help avoid these problems.
6-3
Page 315 of 348

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 13. TIRE AND WHEEL ROTATION AND INSPECTION - For
proper wear and maximum tire life, rotate tires at the first
6,000 miles
(10
000 kilometers) for Schedule I or 7,500 miles (12 500 kilometers)
for Schedule I1 and then every 15,000 miles
(25 000 kilometers)
thereafter. Follow the instructions and patterns shown in Section
6.
Check tires for uneven wear or damage. If irregular or premature wear
is apparent, check wheel alignment. Also, check for damaged wheels.
See “Tires” in the Index for more information.
14.
DRIVE AXLE SERVICE - Check readfront axle fluid level and add
as needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals for leaking.
Locking Differential - Drain fluid at first oil change and refill.
Check fluid
level and add as needed at subsequent oil changes. In
dusty areas or trailer towing applications, drain fluid at every
15,000 miles (24 135 kilometers) and refill.?
Standard Differential - Check fluid level and add as needed at
every oil change. In dusty areas or trailer towing applications,
drain fluid every
15,000 miles (24 135 kilometers) and refill.?
More frequent lubrication may be required for off-road use.
15. BRAKE SYSTEM INSPECTION - When the engine oil is changed,
inspect the lines and hoses for proper hookup, binding, leaks, cracks,
chafing, etc. Check the parking brake adjustment, and the fluid level in
the master cylinder. A low fluid level can indicate worn disc brake pads
which may need
to be serviced.?
When the wheels are removed for rotation, inspect disc brake pads for
wear and rotors for surface condition. Also inspect drum brake linings
for wear and cracks. Inspect other brake parts, including drums, wheel
cylinders, parking brake, etc. at the same time.
Inspect brakes more often if driving habits or conditions resul\
t in
frequent braking.
.L t A fluid loss in these systems may indicate a problem. Have them inspected
and repaired at once.
7-9