
fuel economy. This setting also cools the air the fastest and can be used to
keep “unwanted odors” and/or dust from entering the vehicle. When using
the air conditioner, turn off recirculation after the vehicle reaches
a
comfortable interior temperature.
When the right knob
on the control panel is between HEAT and DEFROST,
the recirculation feature will not function.
NC - This button, between the middle and right knobs, allows the air
coming into your vehicle
to be cooled and directed through the instrument
panel vents. This setting
is useful for normal cooling on hot days. When you
first
use A/C with the recirculation button pushed in, turn off recirculation
as soon as the vehicle reaches a comfortable interior temperature.
Engine Coolant Heater
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, it is equipped with an engine coolant
heater. An engine coolant heater is optional
on gas engine vehicles. If you
use the engine coolant heater before starting your engine (in cold weather
(20” F, (-8” C), or lower) your heating system will produce warmer air
faster, to heat
the passenger compartment in cold weather.
The use of an engine coolant heater also reduces
the time it takes for the
engine to reach normal operating temperature, and shortens the time it takes
the heater
to reach full output. For more information, See “Engine Coolant
Heater” in the Index.
Diesel Engine Heater Output
If you idle your diesel engine for a long time when it’s cold outside, your
heater may blow out cool air. This is normal. When you increase the engine
speed, your heater should blow
out warmer air. If it doesn’t, your coolant
level may be too low. See “Engine Coolant” in the Index to see how to
check your coolant level.
Rear Air Conditioning and Heating Systems (Suburban)
If your vehicle has either or both of these systems, you can increase and
decrease the air flow at the rear vents. Depending
on the system you have
and the setting selected, you can send cooled or heated air to the rear of the
vehicle.
Rear Air Conditioning (Without Rear Heater)
If your vehicle has rear air conditioning (without rear heater), the controls
are located above the front and second seats. The front and rear overhead
controls let
you increase and decrease the air flow at the rear vents.
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To help avoid hearing loss or damage:
1. Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.
2. Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably and clearly.
NOTICE:
Before you add any sound equipment to your vehicle - like a
tape player, CB radio, mobile telephone or two-way radio - be
sure you can add what you want.
If you can, it’s very important
to do it properly. Added sound equipment may interfere with the
operation of your vehicle’s engine, Delco@ radio or other
systems, and even damage them. And, your vehicle’s systems
may interfere with the operation of sound equipment that has
been added improperly.
So, before adding sound equipment, check with your dealer and
be sure to check Federal rules covering mobile radio and
telephone units.
Care of Your Cassette Player and Tapes
A tape player that is not cleaned regularly is subject to reduced sound
quality, ruining the cassette, or damaging the mechanism. Tape cassettes that
are not properly stored
in their plastic cases away from contaminants, direct
sunlight, and extreme heat may not operate properly and could cause
premature failure
of the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned with every
50 hours of use to provide
optimum performance. Your radio may display “Cln” (Clean)
to indicate
that you have used your tape player for 50 hours without re-setting the tape
clean timer. If you notice a reduction
in sound quality, regardless of when
the tape player was last cleaned, try playing a different cassette to see if the
tape or tape player is at fault.
If the second cassette results in no
improvement
in sound quality, try cleaning the tape player.
Proper tape player cleaning should be done with
a scrubbing action,
non-abrasive cleaning cassette. This is a wet-type cleaning system that uses
a cleaning cassette with pads which scrub
the tape head as the hubs of the
cleaner cassette turn. To properly clean your tape player, follow instructions
with the cleaning cassette. If
you use this type of cleaner, the radio may
display an error and eject the cartridge. This
is normal and is the result of an
added feature
in the tape player that detects broken tapes. If an error occurs,
you will need to insert the cleaning cassette at least 3 times to thoroughly
clean the tape player.
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When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper lane well in
advance. If you miss your exit do not, under any circumstances, stop and
back up. Drive on to the next exit.
The exit ramp
can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed
is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not to your sense of
motion. After driving for any distance at higher speeds, you may tend
to
think you are going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you must start when you’re
not fresh
- such as after a day’s work - don’t plan to make too many
miles that first part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and
shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it serviced and maintained,
it’s ready to go. If
it needs service, have it done before starting out. Of
course, you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
GM dealers all
across
North America. They’ll be ready and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before
a trip:
0 Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread
good enough for long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Should you delay your trip a short time to avoid a major
storm system?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook along your route?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”? Or is it just plain
falling asleep
at the wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever.
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There is something about an easy stretch of road with the same scenery,
along with the hum
of the tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the
rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it
happen to
you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less than a
second,
and you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can
happen.
Then here are some tips:
0 Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool
interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check
your mirrors and your instruments frequently.
and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area
on the highway
as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in flat or
rolling terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re planning to visit there,
here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. (See
“Off-Road Driving”
in the Index for information about driving off-road.)
0
0
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, cooling system and transmission. These parts can work
hard on mountain roads.
Know
how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this:
let your engine
do some of the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear
when
you go down a steep or long hill.
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Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra wiring (included in
the optional trailering package). 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.
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 behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
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 kdh) to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If
you have an automatic transmission you should use DRIVE (3) (or, as
you need to, a lower gear) when towing a trailer. Operating your vehicle in
DRIVE (3) when towing a trailer will minimize heat build-up and extend
the life
of your transmission.
If
you have a manual transmission and you are towing a trailer, it’s better
not to use FIFTH (5) gear. Just drive in FOURTH (4) gear (or, as you need
to,
a lower gear).
When towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, consider the following:
Engine coolant will boil at a lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If
you turn your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude on steep
uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs similar
to engine overheating.
To avoid this, let the engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission
in PARK (P) (or the manual transmission
out of gear and the parking brake applied) for a few minutes before turning
the engine off.
If you do get the overheat warning, see “Engine
Overheating” in the Index.
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 PARK (P) yet, or in gear
for a manual transmission.
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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, belt, cooling system, an\
d 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.
Trailer Lighting Systems Wiring
See “Trailer Wiring Harness” in the Index.
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NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage to your
vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by your vehicle warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling it could
damage your vehicle, even if you have a manual transmission.
And if you have an automatic transmission, it won’t start that
way.
To Jump Start Your Vehicle
Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a negative
ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a negative
ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
If you have a diesel engine vehicle with two batteries (or more), you
should know before you begin that, especially
in cold weather, you may
not be able to get enough power from a single battery in another
vehicle
to start your diesel engine.
If your vehicle has more than one battery, use the battery that’s on the
passenger side
of the vehicle - this will reduce electrical resistance.
Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables can reach, but be
sure the vehicles aren’t touching each other. If they are, it could cause a
ground connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to start your
vehicle, and the bad grounding could damage the electrical systems.
You could
be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the parking brake firmly on
each vehicle. Put
an automatic transmission in PARK (P) or a manual
transmission in NEUTRAL (N). If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be
sure the transfer case is not in NEUTRAL (N).
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Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all lights that aren’t
needed, and radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both batteries.
And it could
save your radio!
I NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly damaged. The
repairs wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.
Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the positive (+) and
negative
(-) terminals on each battery.
Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or missing insulation. If
they do, you could get a shock. The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before
you connect the cables, here are some basic things you should
know. Positive
(+) will go to positive (+) and negative (-) will go to
negative (-) or a metal engine part. Don’t connect (+) to (-) or you’ll
get a short that would damage the battery and maybe other parts, too.
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