Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
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 kmh) to reduce the possibility of
engine and transmission overheating.
If you are towing a trailer and you
have an automatic transmission with
Overdrive, you may prefer to drive
in “D’
instead of Overdrive (or, as you need to,
a lower gear). Or,
if you have a manual
transmission with fifth (or sixth) gear
and you are towing a trailer, it’s better
not to use fifth (or sixth) gear. Just drive
in fourth gear (fifth gear if you have a
six-speed manual transmission) (or, as you
need to, a lower gear).
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, or into gear
for a manual transmission.
2. Have someone place chocks under the
3. When the wheel chocks are in place,
release the regular brakes until the
chocks absorb the load.
trailer wheels.
4. Reapply the
regular brakes. Then
apply your parking brake, and then
shift to
“P” (Park), or “R” (Reverse)
for a manual transmission.
5. Release the regular brakes.
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;
0 Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear
4. Stop ahd have someone pick up and
of the
chocks.
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.
Things that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid (don’t overfill), engine
oil, axle lubricant, belts, 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.
. . ,146
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To Check Brake Fluid:
You can check the brake fluid without
taking off the cap. Just look at the brake
fluid reservoir. The fluid level should be
above the plastic seam
in the reservoir.
If it isn’t, have your brake system
checked to see
if there is a leak.
After work is done on the brake hydraulic
system, make sure the level
is above the
plastic seam, near the base of the filler
neck.
What to Add:
When you do need brake fluid, use only
DOT-3 brake fluid
- such as Delco-
Supreme 1 l@ (GM Part No. 1052535).
Use new brake fluid from a sealed container
only, and always clean the brakt
fluid reservoir cap before removing it.
NOTICE:
0 Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind
of fluid. For example,
just a few drops
of mineral-based
oil, such as engine oil, in your
brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll
have to be replaced.
0 Brake fluid can damage paint, so
be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it
off immediately. See ”Appearance
Care”
in the Index.
Brake Wear
Unless you have the four-wheel disc
brake option, your Chevrolet has front
disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make
a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed. The
sound may come and go or be heard all
the time your vehicle is moving (except when
you are
pushing on the brake pedal
firmly).
A CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound
means that sooner or later your
brakes won’t work well. That could
lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have
your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may
cause
a brake squeal when the brakes are
first applied or lightly applied. This does
not mean something is wrong
with your
brakes.
203. I
