1995 CHEVROLET TAHOE towing

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
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There are many different laws, including speed limit restrictions,
having to do
with trailering. Make sure your rig will be legal, not only
where you live but also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control
if your trailer will weigh 3,000 pounds
(1 362 kg) or less for a utility vehicle or, for a Suburban, 4,000 pounds
(1 800 kg) or less. You should always use a sway control if your trailer
will weigh more than
3,000 pounds (1 362 kg) for a utility vehicle or
4,000 pounds (1 800 kg) for a Suburban. You can ask a hitch dealer
about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles (800 km) your new
vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during
the first 500 miles (800 km) that you tow a trailer, don’t
drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t make starts at full throttle. This
helps your engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the heavier
loads.
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 vou need to. a lower pearl

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 farther
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.
Making Turns
I NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could cause the traile\
r
to come in contact with the vehicle. Your vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very sharp turns while trailering.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To wing Your Vehicle
Try to have your GM dealer or a professional towing service tow your
vehicle. They can provide the right equipment and know how
to tow it
without damage.
If your vehicle has been changed since it was factory-new, by adding such
things like fog lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these things
could be damaged during towing.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, or that it has the four-wheel
drive option.
The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can move the shift lever for the transmission and transfer
case, if you have one.
0 If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When your vehicle is being towed, have
the ignition key off. The steering
wheel should be clamped
in a straight-ahead position, with a clamping
device designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s steering
column
lock for this. The transmission and transfer case, if you have one,
should be in NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing From the Front
If you have a two-wheel drive vehicle, don’t have your vehicle towed on
the rear wheels, unless you must. If the vehicle must be towed
on the rear
wheels, don’t go more than
35 mph (56 km/h) or farther than 50 miles (80
km) or your transmission will be damaged. If these limits must be exceeded,
then
the rear wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
If your vehicle has the four-wheel drive option and the transfer case is
engaged, a dolly must be used under the rear wheels when towing from the
front.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing From the Rear
Engine Overheating
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine h
9. Then replace the
pressure cap. Be
sure the arrows
on the pressure
cap line up like
this.
Engine Fan Noise
Your vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When the clutch is engaged,
the fan spins faster to provide more air to cool the engine. In most every day
driving conditions the fan
is spinning slower and the clutch is not fully
engaged. This improves fuel economy and reduces fan noise. Under heavy
vehicle loading, trailer towing and/or high outside temperatures,
the fan
speed increases as the clutch more
fully engages. So you may hear an
increase in fan noise. This is normal and should not be mistaken as the
transmission slipping
or making extra shifts. It is merely the cooling system
functioning properly. The fan will slow down when additional cooling is not
required and the clutch partially disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the engine. It will go away
as the fan clutch partially disengages.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving, especially if you
maintain your tires properly. If air goes out of a tire, it’s much more likely to
leak out slowly. But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few tips
about what
to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer
to maintain lane position, then gently brake to a
stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a skid and may
require the same correction you’d
use in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove
your foot from
the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way
you want the vehicle to go. It may be very bumpy and
noisy, but you can still steer. Gently brake to a stop, well
off the road if
possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your jacking equipment to
change a flat tire safely.
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