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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.
Keep your vehicle-in good shape. Check all fluid
1evel.s and. also the brakes; tires, cooling system and
..
transaxle. 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.
e Know, how to gauphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gek The 1ower.gearshelp cool your engine
and tramaxle, and you can climb the hill better.,
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads
iri hills or mountains. Don't swing wide or cut
'% across the center of the road, Drive at speeds that let
you stay
in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There, dould
be something in your lane, like a stalled ca~
or an
accident.
You.m&y see highway ,signs on mountains that warn
,of special problems. Examples are long grades,
passing
or no-passing zones, a falling rocks &ea, or
winding roads. Be aleq to these aad'take appropriate
action.
,,
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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 oat. Thus, you may think drivers
c e.. NOTICE: behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
, important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
Making very sharp turns while trailering could bulbs ‘be still w’orking.
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could
be damaged. Avoid Driving On Grades
I- making very sharp turns while trailering. I
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.
lhrn 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. 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 transaxle overheating.
If you are towing a trailer, you may prefer to drive in
THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D) (or, as you need to, a
lower gear).
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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 darnaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
.I. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
.. !PARK (P) yet.
2. ‘Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK
(P).
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking o,n a
Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
8’. .
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is dear 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 transaxle fluid (don’t oyerfill),
engine oil, belt, 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.
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Page 176 of 340
6. 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.
Page 188 of 340
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered
by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on check to
see if
the electric engine fan(s) are running. If the engine
is overheating, both fan(s) should be running. If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the’coolant level
isn’t at the
COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water (preferably distilled) and a proper antifreeze at the
coolant recovery ‘tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in the
Index for more information about the proper coolant
mix
.)
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Page 194 of 340

10. Then replace the
’ pressure cap. At any
time during this
procedure if coolant
begins to flow out of
the filler neck, reinstall
the pressure cap. Be
sure the arrows on the
pressure cap line up
like this.
11. Check the coolant in the recovery tank. The level in
the coolant recovery tank should be at the HOT
mark when the engine
is hot or at the COLD mark
when the engine
is cold.
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.
Page 208 of 340

I
Gasolines for Cleaner Air
Your use of gasoline with deposit control additives will
help prevent deposits from forming in your engine and
fuel system. That helps keep your engine in tune and
your emission control system working properly. It’s
good for your vehicle, and you’ll be doing your part for
cleaner air.
Many gasolines are now blended with oxygenates. General Motors recommends that you use gasolines with
these blending materials, such as MTBE and ethanol. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts of the country that have high carbon monoxide levels.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now producing
reformulated gasolines. These gasolines are specially
designed to reduce vehicle emissions. General Motors
recommends that you use reformulated gasoline. By doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts of the country that have high ozone levels.
You should ask your service station operators if their
gasolines contain deposit control additives and
oxygenates, and
if they have been reformulated to
reduce vehicle emissions.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
U.S. or Canada, unleaded fuel may be hard to find. Do
not use leaded gasoline. If you use even one tankful,
your emission controls won’t work well or at all. With
continuous use, spark plugs can get fouled, the exhaust
system can corrode, and your engine oil can deteriorate
quickly. Your vehicle’s oxygen sensor will be damaged.
All of that means costly repairs that wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice. Just tell
us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
General Motors Overseas Distribution Corporation
North American Export Sales (NAES)
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
6-4 .I
Page 214 of 340
Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are on
properly. Then just pull the hood down and close it
firmly.
Engine Oil .. , ‘I: ~. ’. .I
LOW OIL
LEVEL
If the LOW OIL LEVEL
light on the instrument
panel co-mes on, it means
you need to check your
engine oil level right away.
For more information, see “Low Oil Level Light” in
the Index.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
It’s a
good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get
fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm
and the vehicle must be on level ground.
c
,3.1L.L82 (Code M) Engine
The engine
oil dipstick handle is the yellow loop near
the front of the engine.
Turn. off, the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t, the oil dipstick ’
might not show the actual level.