1994 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN battery

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle.
In the notice area, we tell you about something that can damage your
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your warranty,
and it could be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid
the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE
warnings
in different colors or in different words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use yellow for
cautions, blue for notices and the words CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you will find on your vehicle. For example.
these symbols are used
on an original battery:
Caurron
Possible Injury Protect Eyes
by Shielding
I
Avoid Sparks
or Flames
1I
Caustic Batrery Acid Spark or Flame Could
Could Cause Burns Explode Battery
vi i ProCarManuals.com

Automatic Transmission:
Move your shift lever to “P’ (Park) or “N” (Neutral). Your engine won’t
start in any other position
- that’s a safety feature. To restart when you’re
already moving, use
“N’ (Neutral) only.
NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to “P” (Park) if your vehicle is moving. If you
do, you could damage the transmission. Shift to “P” (Park) \
only
when your vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission:
Hold the clutch pedal to the floor, then shift your gear selector to neutral
while starting the engine. Your vehicle won’t start if the clutch pedal is not
all the way down
- that’s a safety feature.
To start your 5.7 Liter (Code K) or 7.4 Liter (Code N) V8 engine:
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your ignition key to
START. When the engine starts, let go of the key. The idle speed will
go down
as your engine gets warm.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in “Start” for longer than 15 seconds at a time
will cause your battery to be drained much sooner. And the
excessive heat can damage your starter motor.
2. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in START. If it doesn’t start
in three seconds, push
the accelerator pedal about one-quarter of the
way down for
12 more seconds, or until it starts.
flooded with too much gasoline. Try this:
3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then stops), it could be
Wait
15 seconds to let the starter motor cool down. Then push your
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor. Hold it there. Then hold the
key in “Start” for
no more than ten seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine. If the engine still doesn’t start, wait another
15 seconds and do Step 3 again.
Hot Engine Restart (Vehicles With 5.7L LO5 Engine and Over 8500 lbs.
GVWR): If your engine is already hot and then stalls, turn your ignition
key to
OFF. Then, turn your key to ON, and wait about 20 seconds
before you restart your engine.
When the engine starts,
let go of the key and the accelerator pedal.
2- 14
ProCarManuals.com

3. If this light does not come on, or the instant the light goes off, turn your
ignition key to
START. When the engine starts, let go of the key.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in “Start” for longer than 15 seconds at a time
will cause your battery to be drained much sooner. And the
excessive heat can damage your starter motor.
4. If the engine does not start after 15 seconds of cranking, turn the
ignition key to
OFF. Wait one minute for the starter to cool, then try
the same steps again.
If you’re trying to start your engine after you’ve run out of fuel, follow the
steps
in “Running Out of Fuel” (see “Diesel Fuel Requirements and Fuel
System”
in the Index).
When your engine
is cold, let it run for a few minutes before you move your
vehicle. This lets oil pressure build up. Your engine
will sound louder when
it’s cold.
NOTICE:
If you’re not in an idling vehicle and the engine overheats, you
wouldn’t be there to see the coolant temperature gage. This
could damage your vehicle. Don’t let your engine run when
you’re not in your vehicle.
Cold Weather Starting (Diesel Engine)
The following tips will help you get good starting in cold weather.
Use
SAE low-30 oil when the outside temperature drops below freezing.
When the outside temperature drops below 0°F
(-I S’C), use your engine
coolant heater.
If
you park your vehicle in a garage, you shouldn’t need to use the coolant
heater
until the garage temperature goes below 0°F (-1 Sac), no matter how
cold
it is outside.
2- 17
ProCarManuals.com

If Your Diesel Engine Won’t Start
If you’ve run out of fuel, look at “Running Out of Fuel” (see “Diesel Fuel
Requirements and Fuel System” in the Index).
If you’re not out of fuel, and your engine won’t start, do this:
Turn your ignition key to RUN. Make sure that the “GLOW PLUGS” light
is out. Then turn the ignition key to
START.
If the light doesn’t go off, wait a few seconds, then try starting your engine
again. And, see your dealer as soon as you can for a starting system check.
If the light comes on and then goes off and you know your batteries are
charged, but your engine still won’t start, your vehicle needs service.
If the light does not come
on when the engine is cold, your vehicle needs
service.
If your batteries don’t have enough charge to start your engine, see
“Battery” in the Index.
Be sure you have the right oil for your engine, and that you’ve changed the
oil at the proper times. If you use the wrong oil, your engine may be harder
to start.
If the engine starts, runs a short time, then stops, your vehicle needs service.
Engine Coolant Heater (Engine Block Heater)
2- 19
ProCarManuals.com

Low Coolant Warning Light
The orange Low
Coolant Warning
light, if
you have one,
is located in the upper
left corner of the
instrument cluster.
If
you have a diesel engine, you have a low coolant light. If this light comes
on anytime the engine is running, your system is low on coolant and the
engine may overheat. See “Engine Coolant”
in the Index and have your
vehicle serviced
as soon as you can.
Charging System Warning Light
The red Charging
System Warning light
is located at the upper
right corner of the
instrument cluster.
The Charging System Warning light should come on briefly when you turn
on the ignition, before starting the engine, as a check to show you it is
working. After the engine starts, the light should go out. If it stays on or
comes
on while you are driving, you may have a problem with your
charging system. It could indicate a problem with the alternator drive belt,
or
some other charging system problem. Have it checked right away.
Driving while this light is on could drain your battery.
If
you must drive a short distance with this light on, it helps to turn off all
your accessories, such
as the radio and air conditioner.
2-70
ProCarManuals.com

A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused by a dangerously low oil
level or other problem causing low oil pressure. Check your oil as soon as
possible.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil problems can be
costly and
is not covered by your warranty.
Voltmeter
Standard Cluster Tachometer Cluster
14
When your engine is not running, but the ignition is on (in the RUN
Position), this gage shows your battery’s state of charge in DC volts. When
the engine is running, the gage shows the condition
of the charging system.
Readings between the
low and high warning zones indicate the normal
operating range.
Readings
in either warning zone indicate a possible problem in the electrical
system.
2-77
ProCarManuals.com

If you need to carry long items, move the cross rails as far apart as they
will go. Tie the load to the cross rails and the side rails or side rail
supports. Also tie
the load to the bumpers. Do not tie the load so tightly
that the cross rails or side rails are damaged.
After moving the cross rails, be sure to tighten all the slider screws.
Trailer Wiring Harness (Option)
An optional 7-wire
harness
is stored under
your vehicle along the
rear frame
crossmember. The
harness has a
30 amp.
in-line fused battery
feed wire and no
connector, and should
be wired by a
qualified electrical
technician.
Securely attach the harness
to the trailer, then tape or strap it to your
vehicle’s frame rail. Be sure
you leave it loose enough so the wiring won‘t
bind or break when turning with the trailer, but
not so loose that it drags on
the ground.
Store the harness in its original position. Wrap the harness together and tie it
neatly so it won’t be damaged.
2-80
ProCarManuals.com

Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves fuel. When you run
the engine, make it
go a little faster than just idle. That is, push the
accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps
the battery (or batteries) charged.
You will need a well-charged battery (or
batteries) to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your
headlights. Let the heater run for awhile.
If you have a diesel engine, you may have to run it at a higher speed to get
enough heat. Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost all the
way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only when
you feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as possible.
Preserve the fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get out of
the vehicle
and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until
help comes.
Power Winches
If you wish to use a power winch on your vehicle, only use it when your
vehicle is stationary or anchored.
NOTICE:
When operating a power winch on your vehicle, always leave the
transmission in “N” (Neutral). Leaving a automatic
transmission in “P”(Park) while using a power winch may \
damage the transmission. Also, leaving a automatic or manual
transmission in gear while using an power winch may damage
the transmission.
Use the regular brakes, set the parking brake, or block the wheels to keep
your vehicle from rolling.
4-34
ProCarManuals.com