
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make a
hard stop on a slippery road.
Even though you have the
anti-lock braking system, you’ll want to begin stopping
sooner than
you would on dry pavement. See
“Anti-Lock‘’ in the Index.
0 Allow greater following distance on any slippery
road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see
a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it.
Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation.
You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you
know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do to $ummon help and keep yourself and your
passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard flashers. Tie a red
4-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hitches Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag
on the ground.
It’s
important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by, and rough roads are a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here
are
some rules to follow:
0 Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when
you install a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide”
in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
0 The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to the
bumper.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brakes -- and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly. Because you have anti-lock
brakes, do not try to tap into your vehicle’s brake
system. If you do, both brake systems won’t work well,
or at all.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel
of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and
not nearly as
responsive
as your vehicle is by itself.
Before
you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets
you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
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 fxther 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Making ’hrns 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
NOTICE: behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs
are still working.
Driving On Grades
making very sharp turns while trailering. Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down
a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
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 lamps will also flash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop. 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.
If you are towing a trailer and you have an automatic
transmission with Overdrive, you may prefer to drive in
DRIVE (D) instead of Overdrive (or, as you need to, a
lower gear). Or, if you have a manual transmission with
FIFTH or SIXTH gear. It is 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).
4-36

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.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P)
yet, or into gear for a manual
transmission.
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks
are in place, release the
regular brakes. Then apply your parking brakes until
the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake and then shift
to PARK(P) or REVERSE (R)
for a manual transmission.
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:
0 Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
0 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. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, 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.
4-37

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
adding water.
Don’t mix water with ready-to-use washer
fluid. Water can cause the solution to freeze
and damage your washer fluid tank and
other parts
of the washer system. Also,
water doesn’t clean
as well as washer fluid.
0 Fill your washer fluid tank only 314 full
when it’s very cold. This allows for
expansion, which could damage the tank if
it is completely full.
windshield washer. It can damage your
washer system and paint.
Don’t use radiator antifreeze in your
Brakes
Brake Master Cylinder
Your brake master cylinder is here. It is filled with
DOT-3 brake fluid. There
are only two reasons why the brake
fluid level in
your master cylinder might go down. The first is that the
brake fluid goes down
to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,
the fluid level goes back up. The other reason
is that
fluid is leaking out
of the brake system. If it is, you
should have your brake system fixed, since a leak means
that sooner or later your brakes won’t work well, or
won’t work at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’
your brake fluid. Adding brake fluid won’t correct a
leak.
If you add fluid when your linings are worn, then
you’ll have too much fluid when you get new brake
linings. You should add (or remove) brake fluid,
as
6-34

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme II@ (GM Part
No. 1052535). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only, and always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap before removing it.
I NOTICE:
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.
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).
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
6-36

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
If you have rear drum brakes, they don’t have wear
indicators, but
if you ever hear a rear brake rubbing
noise, have the rear brake linings inspected. Also, the
rear brake drums should be removed and inspected each
time the tires are removed for rotation or changing.
When you have the front brakes replaced, have the rear
brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or
if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be
a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a moderate brake stop, your disc
brakes adjust for wear. If you rarely make a moderate or
heavier stop, then your brakes might not adjust correctly.
If you drive in that way, then -- very carefully -- make
a few moderate brake stops about every 1,000
miles
(1600 km), so your brakes will adjust properly. If
your brake pedal goes down farther than normal, your
rear drum brakes may need adjustment. Adjust them by
backing up and firmly applying the brakes a few times.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have: to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-quality
GM brake
parts in them, as your Chevrolet does when it is new.
When
you replace parts of your braking system -- for
example, when your brake linings wear down and you
have to have new ones put
in -- be sure you get new
genuine
GM replacement parts. If you don’t, your
brakes may no longer work properly. For example,
if
someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle, the balance between your front and rear brakes
can change
-- for the worse. The braking performance
you’ve come
to expect can change in many other ways if
someone puts in t+ wrong replacement brake parts.