1994 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Owners Manual

I NOTICE:
If you skip more than one gear when you downshift, or if you
race the engine when you downshift, you can damage the engine,\

clutch
or transmission.
Locking Rear Axle
If you have this feature, your rear axle can give you additional traction on
snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the
time, but when one
of the rear wheels has no traction and the other does, the
locking feature will allow the wheel with traction to move the vehicle.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake:
Hold the regular brake
pedal down with your
right foot. Push down
the parking brake
pedal with
your left
foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will come on.
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To release the parking brake:
Hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the
lever, located just
above the parking
brake pedal, marked
RELEASE to release
the parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released, the brake system
warning light will
go off.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause your rear brakes to
overheat. You may have to replace them, and you could also
damage other parts
of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill: See “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index. That section shows what to do first to keep the trailer
from moving.
Torque Lock
The parking brake should be set first whenever you leave the driver’s seat.
If you are parked on a hill and the transmission is placed in “P’ (Park)
before the parking brake is set, the weight
of the vehicle may put too much
force on the parking pawl in the transmission. It may be difficult to pull the
selector lever out
of “P” (Park). This is called “torque lock.” To prevent this,
the parking brake should be set
BEFORE moving the gear selector to “P”
(Park).
When preparing to move a vehicle parked on a hill, the selector lever should
be moved out
of “P” (Park) BEFORE releasing the parking brake. Even
when on level surfaces, its a good idea to set the parking brake first before
shifting the transmission from
“P” (Park).
If torque lock does occur, you may have to have another vehicle nudge your
vehicle uphill a
little to take some of the pressure off the transmission while
you pull the selector lever
out of “P’ (Park).
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Shifting Into “P” (Park)
(Automatic Transmission Models Only)
Steering Column Shift Lever
1. Hold the brake
pedal down with
your right
foot
and set the
parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into “P” (Park) position like this:
0 Pull the lever toward you.
0 Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. If you have four-wheel drive, be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear
- not in “N’ (Neutral)
4. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
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5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can walk away from your
vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, your vehicle is in “P”
(Park).
If
you have to leave your vehicle with the engine running, be sure your
vehicle
is in “P’ (Park) and your parking brake is firmly set before you
leave it. If
you have four-wheel drive with a manual transfer case shift
lever, be sure that
the transfer case is in a drive gear - not in “N” (Neutral).
After
you’ve moved the shift lever into the “P” (Park) position, hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then, see if
you can move the shift lever away
from “P” (Park) without first pulling it toward you. If
you can, it means that
the shift lever wasn’t fully locked into
“I?” (Park).
Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your transmission into “P”
(Park) properly, the weight of the vehicle may put
too much force on the
parking pawl in the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever
out of “P” (Park). This is called “torque lock.’’ To prevent torque lock,
set the parking brake and then shift into
“P’ (Park) properly before you
leave the driver’s seat. To find out how, see “Shifting Into ‘P’ (Park)” in the
Index.
When
you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of “P” (Park)
BEFORE you release the parking brake.
If “torque lock”
does occur, you may need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some
of the pressure from the transmission, so
you can pull the shift lever out of “F”’ (Park).
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Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transmission Models Only)
Before you get out of your vehicle, put your manual transmission in “R”
(Reverse), turn off the engine, and firmly apply the parking brake .
If you have four-wheel drive, be sure your transfer case is in a drive gear.
Your vehicle could roll
if it isn’t.
If you are parking on a hill, or if your pulling a trailer, see “Parking on
Hills” or “Towing a Trailer’’ in the Index.
Parking Over Things That Burn
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Engine Exhaust
Running Your Engine While You’re Parked
(Automatic Transmission)
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you ever have to, here
are
some things to know.
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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). Follow
the proper steps
to be sure your vehicle won’t move. See “Shifting Into ‘P’
(Park)” in the Index.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index.
Four Wheel Drive
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 it’s operation. Read the part
that follows before using four-wheel drive.
You should use 2H for most
normal driving conditions.
Rear-wheel antilock brakes do
not work when you shift into four-wheel
drive. Your regular brakes will
still work. When you shift back into
two-wheel drive, your rear-wheel antilock brakes will take over again.
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NOTICE:
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
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 the lever
shows you the transfer case settings.
The front axle portion
of the indicator
diagram will light
up
when you shift into
four-wheel drive.
Some delay between shifting and the indicator’s lighting
is normal. If the
indicator light 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.
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