
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs. (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.
Your trailer’s brake system can tap into the vehicle’s
hydraulic brake system only if:
0 The trailer parts can withstand 3,000 psi
(20 650 kPa) of pressure.
0.02 cubic inch (0.3 cc) of fluid from your vehicle’s
master cylinder. Otherwise, both braking systems
won’t work well. You could even lose your brakes.
0 The trailer’s brake system will use less than
If everything checks out this far, then make
the brake
fluid tap
at the port on the master cylinder that sends
fluid to the rear brakes. But don’t use copper tubing for
this. If
you do, it will bend and finally break off. Use
steel brake tubing.
Driving with a Trailer
A CAUTION:
-
If you hr ! a most wi ow 01 I and you
pull
a trailer with your vehicle, carbon monoxide
(CO) could come into your vehicle. You can’t see
or smell
CO. It can cause unconsciousness or
death. (See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.)
To
maximize your safety when towing a trailer:
0
e
0
Have your exhaust system inspected €or
leaks, and make necessary repairs before
starting on your trip. Keep the rear-most windows closed.
If exhaust does come into your vehicle
through
a window in the rear or another
opening, drive with your front, main
heating or cooling system on and with the
fan on any speed. This will bring fresh,
outside
air into your vehicle. Do not use
MAX A/C because it only recirculates the
air inside your vehicle. (See “Comfort
Controls” in the Index.)
4-5 1

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.
4-52

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Making lhrns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer 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.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring and a heavy-duty turn signal flasher (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.
4-53

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
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.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The light duty trailer wiring is a six-wire harness
assembly. The heavy duty trailer wiring is an eight-wire
harness assembly. The harnesses are stored under
the
vehicle, along the passenger-side frame crossmember on
two-door vehicles or on the driver’s side corner frame
crossmember
on four-door vehicles. The heavy duty
trailer wiring has a 30-amp feed wire with an inline fuse
located by the junction block. See “Fuses and Circuit
Breakers” in
the Index. Both harnesses have no
connector and should be wired
by a qualified electrical technician. The technician can
use the following color code chart when connecting the
wiring harness
to your trailer.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
DARK BLUE: Use for electric trailer brakes or
auxiliary wiring.
RED: Use for battery charging; it connects to the
starter solenoid (eight-wire harness
only).
LIGHT GREEN: Back-up lamps (eight-wire
harness only).
BROWN: Taillamps and parking lamps.
YELLOW Left stoplamp and turn signal.
DARK GREEN: Right stoplamp and turn signal.
WHITE (Heavy Gage): Ground wire.
WHITE (Light Gage): Auxiliary stoplamp.
Securely attach the harness
to the trailer, then tape or
strap it to your vehicle’s frame rail. Be sure you leave
it loose enough
so the wiring doesn’t bend or break,
but
not so loose that it drags on the ground. Store the
harness in its original place. Wrap the harness together
and
tie it neatly so it won’t be damaged.
4-56

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn
signals won’t work. The flashers will stop if
you step
on the brake.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up
at the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and
some jumper cables to start your
vehicle.
But please use the following steps to do it safely.
NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
Do not try to start your vehicle by pushing or
pulling it. This could damage your vehicle, even
if
you have a manual transmission. And if you have
an automatic transmission, it won’t start that
way.
I
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
dangerous because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
They contain enough electricity to burn you.
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some or
all
of these things can hurt you.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with
a negative ground system.
I NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
5-2

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. Open both hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on each battery.
Using
a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use
a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You don’t
need to add water to the Delco Freedom’ battery
installed in every new
GM vehicle. But if a battery
has filler caps, be sure the right amount of fluid is
there. If it is low, add water to take care
of that
first. If you don’t, explosive gas could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get it on you.
If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
5. 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 positive (+) to
negative
(-) or you’ll get a short that would damage
the battery and maybe other parts too.
6. Connect the red
positive
(+) cable to the
positive
(+) terminal of
the vehicle with the
dead battery.
5-4

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your
vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel
information, and then
it shows how to check important
fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical
information about your vehicle, and
a part devoted to its
appearance care.
Service
Your GM dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you
to be happy with it. We hope you’ll go to your dealer for
all your service needs. You’ll get genuine GM parts and
GM-trained and supported service people. We
hope you’ll want
to keep your GM vehicle all GM
Genuine GM parts have one
of these marks:
6-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM
D4814 in the United States and CGSB 3.5-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association (AAMA) for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting the AAMA
specification could provide improved driveability and
emission control system protection compared to
other gasolines.
Be sure
the posted octane is at least 87. If the octane is
less than
87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using
fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry if
you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a hill. That’s normal,
and
you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated
on the underhood tune-up label), it
is designed to operate og fuels that meet California
specifications. If such fuels are
not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your
vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp on
your instrument panel may
turn on and/or your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test. If this occurs, return to your
authorized GM dealer for diagnosis to determine
the
cause of failure. In the event it is determined that the
cause of the condition is the type of fuels used, repairs
‘may
not be covered by your warranty.
In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane enhancing
additive called MMT. If
you see such fuels, your
emission control system performance may deteriorate
and the malfunction indicator lamp
on your instrument
panel may turn on.
If this happens, return to your
authorized GM dealer for service.
6-3