
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful
off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control your
vehicle is to control your speed. Here are some things to
keep in mind. At higher speeds:
0
0
0
0
you approach things faster and you have less time to
scan the terrain for obstacles.
you have less time
to react.
you have more vehicle bounce when you drive
over obstacles.
you’ll need more distance
for braking, especially
since you’re on an unpaved surface.
When you’re driving off-road, bouncing and
quick changes in direction can easily throw you
out of position. This could cause you to lose
control and crash.
So, whether you’re driving on
or off the road, you and your passengers should
wear safety belts.
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds
of terrain. You need to be familiar with the terrain and
its
many different features. Here are some things to consider.
Surjizce Conditions. Off-roading can take you over
hard-packed
dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow or
ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering, acceleration
and braking of your vehicle
in different ways. Depending
upon the kind of surface you are on,
you may experience
slipping, sliding, wheel spinning, delayed acceleration,
poor traction and longer braking distances.
Sutfkce Obstacles. Unseen or hidden obstacles can be
hazardous.
A rock, log, hole, rut or bump can startle you
if you’re not prepared for them. Often these obstacles are
hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even the rise and fall of
the terrain itself. Here are some things to consider:
Is the path ahead clear?
0 Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s
more discussion of these subjects later.)
0 Will you have to stop suddenly or change
direction quickly?
4-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your
GM dealer
for important information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
Every vehicle is ready for some trailer towing. If yours
was built with trailering options, as many are, it’s ready
for heavier trailers. But trailering is different than just
driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes
in handling, durability and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering takes correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before
you pull a trailer.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
0
0
0
0
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
2,000 lbs. (900 kg) or less. You should always
use a sway control
if your trailer will weigh more
than
2,000 lbs. (900 kg). 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.
4-47

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle clockwise.
Raise the vehicle far enough
off the ground so there is
enough room for
the spare tire to fit.
5. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
6. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces
and
spare wheel.
A CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches to the vehicle. In an
emergency, you can use a cloth or a paper towel
to do this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later, if you need to, to get all the rust or
dirt
off.
5-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine .. Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level
is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both
the fluid and filter every 50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more
of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or higher.
0 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
0 Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter
do not require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have this done at your GM dealer
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get
a false reading on the dipstick.
I NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission.
Too much can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine
parts or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level
if you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is
180°F to 200°F
(82°C to 93°C).
. 6-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check
A good time to have it checked is when the engine oil is
changed. However,
the fluid in your manual
transmission doesn't require changing.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have this done at your GM dealer's
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or
you could get a false reading.
I NOTICE: I
I
, Too much or too little fluid can dafnage your
l transmission. Too much can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine
parts or exhaust system parts, starting
a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid.
Check the fluid level only when your engine is off, the
vehicle is parked on a level place and the transmission is
cool enough for you to rest your fingers on the
transmission case.
Then, follow these steps:
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Check that the lubricant level is up to the bottom of
the filler plug hole.
3. , If the fluid level is good, install the plug and be sure
it is fully seated. If the fluid level is low, add more
fluid as described in
the next steps.
6-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half
clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half DEX-COOL
TM (orange-,colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze that meets
GM Specification
6277M, which won’t damage aluminum parts. Use
GM Engine Coolant Supplement (sealer) (GM Part
No. 3634621) with any complete coolant change. If you
use this mixture, you don’t need
to add anything else.
L
Adding only plain water to your cooli,,g system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix
will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use
a 50/50 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored.
silicate-free) antifreeze.
NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mix, your engine
could overheat and be badly damaged. The
repair cost wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty.
Too much water in the mix can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
NOTICE:
If you use the proper coolant, you don’t have to
add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to
improve the system. These can be harmful.
6-23

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.
Free movement
of brake calipers and properly torqued
wheel nuts are necessary
to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires
are rotated, inspect brake calipers
for movement, brake pads for wear, and evenly torque
wheel nuts in the proper sequence to GM Specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
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.
8, brake linings inspected. Also, the rear brake drums
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 brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
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 vehicle 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 the
wrong replacement brake parts.
6-31

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine c
f
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
Maintenance Services” in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
I rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
When rotating your tires, always use one of the correct
rotation patterns shown here. After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and rear
inflation pressures as shown on the
Certificatioflire label.
Make certain that
all wheel nuts are. properly tightened.
See “Wheel Nut Torque’’
in the Index.
Rust or dirt on
a wheel, or on .the parts to Which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after
a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident. When you change
a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use
a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use
a scraper or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt
off. (See
“Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index.)
-_
6-43