1996 CHEVROLET EXPRESS weight

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
A CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission
into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force
on the parking pawl in
the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever
out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift
into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat. To find
out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK
(P)” in the Index. When
you are
ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur,
you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill
to take some of the
pressure from the transmission, so you can pull the shift
lever out
of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your vehicle has a brake-transmission shift interlock
system. You have to fully apply your regular brakes
before you can shift from PARK (P). See “Automatic
Transmission”
in the Index.
If you cannot shift
out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way up
into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then,
move the shift lever into
the gear you want.
If
you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift out
of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear you
5. Have the brake-transmission shift interlock system
want.
fixed
as soon as you can.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving
is a national tragedy. It’s the number one contributor to
the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims
every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to
drive a vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
0 Vision
0 Attentiveness.
Police records show
that almost half of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking
and driving. In recent years, some
18,000 annual motor
vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use
of alcohol, with more than
300,000 people injured.
Many adults
-- by some estimates, nearly half the adult
population
-- choose never to drink alcohol, so they
never drive after drinking. For persons under
21, it’s
against the law
in every U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological and
developmental reasons for
these laws. The
obvious way to solve this highway safety problem
is for people never
to drink alcohol and then drive. But
what if people
do? How much is “too much” if the
driver plans to drive? It’s
a lot less than many might
think. Although
it depends on each person and situation,
here is some general information on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)
of someone
who is drinking depends upon four things:
0 The amount of alcohol consumed
0 The drinker’s body weight
0 The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking
0 The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol.
According
to the American Medical Association, a
180-lb. (82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a
BAC of about
0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC by drinking three 4-ounce (120 ml) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1-1/2 ounces
(45 ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.
4-2

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine It’s the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if
the same person drank three double martinis
(3 ounces
or
90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s
BAC would be close to
0.12 percent. A person who
consumes food just before or during drinking will have
a somewhat lower BAC level.
There is a gender difference, too. Women generally have
a lower relative percentage of body water than men. Since alcohol
is carried in body water, this means that a
woman generally will reach a higher BAC level than a
man of her same body weight when each has the same
number of drinks.
The law in many
U.S. states sets the legal limit at a BAC
of 0.10 percent. In a growing number of U.S. states, and
throughout Canada, the limit
is 0.08 percent. In some
other countries, it’s even lower. The BAC limit for all
commercial drivers in the United States is
0.04 percent.
The BAC will be over
0.10 percent after three to six
drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we’ve seen, it
depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks, and how
quickly the person drinks them.
But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC
of
0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving
skills of many people are impaired at a BAC
approaching
0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse
at night. All drivers are impaired at
BAC levels above
0.05 percent. Statistics show that the chance of being
in a collision increases sharply for drivers who have a
BAC of
0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level
of
0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a
collision. At a BAC level
of 0.10 percent, the chance of
this driver having a collision is 12 times greater; at a level
of
0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater!
4-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When
you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly.
This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it
keeps the battery (or batteries) charged. You will need
a well-charged battery (or batteries) to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your
headlamps. Let the heater run for awhile.
If
you have a diesel engine, you may have to run it at a
higher speed to get enough heat. Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost all the way to preserve
the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this
only
when you feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But
do it
as little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you
can. To help keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle
and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or
so until help comes.
Loading Your Vehicle
The Certificationflire label is found on the rear edge
of the driver’s door. The label shows the size of your
original tires and the inflation pressures needed to obtain
the gross weight capacity your vehicle. This is called
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR
includes
the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel
and cargo.
4-26

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The Certification/Tire label also tells you the maximum
weights for the front and rear axles, called Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR).
To fine out the actual loads
on your front and rear axles, you need to go to a weigh
station and weigh your vehicle. Your dealer can help
you with this. Be sure to spread out your load equally
on both sides
of the centerline.
Never exceed the GVWR
for your vehicle, or the
GAWR for either the front or rear axle.
And,
if you do have a heavy load, you should spread
it out.
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or
rear
GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle
can break, or it can change the
way your
vehicle handles. These could cause you to lose
control.
Also, overloading can shorten the life
of your vehicle.
A CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people
in a sudden stop or turn, or
in
a crash.
Put things in the cargo area of your vehicle.
Try to spread the weight evenly.
1 Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
~ inside the vehicle so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.
Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Don’t leave a seat folded down unless you
need to.
I
4-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing a Trailer
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull
a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
~ brakes may not work well -- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your
GM dealer for
advice and information about towing a trailer
~ with your vehicle.
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.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity
is for your vehicle, you
should read the information
in “Weight of the Trailer’’
that appears later
in this section. 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 section. 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.
,4128

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
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
4,000 lbs. (1 800 kg) or less. You should
always
use a sway control if your trailer will weigh
more than
4,000 lbs. (1 800 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.
0
0 Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 kmh) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts
of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
You should
use DRIVE (D) (or, as you need to,
a lower gear) when towing a trailer. Operating
your vehicle in
DRIVE (D) when towing a trailer
will minimize heat build-up and extend
the life of
your transmission.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
the weight
of the trailer,
the weight
of the trailer tongue
and the weight on your vehicle’s tires.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how
you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer are
all important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment
that you have on your vehicle.
The following chart shows
how much your trailer can
weigh, based upon vehicle model and options.
Max. Trailer
Model Engine Axle Ratio Weight
(lbs.) (kg)
G 10000
G20000
G30000 4.3L
5 .OL
5.7L
4.3L
5 .OL
5.7L
6.5L
5.7L
6.5L
7.4L 3.42
3.73
3.42
3.42
3.73 3.42
4.10
3.42
3.42
3.73
4.10 3.73
4.10
3.73
4.10
3.73
4.10
3.42
3.73
4.10 4000
4500
5000
5500
6000
4000
5000
5000
5500
6000
7500
6500
8000
6000
7500
6500 8000
7000
8000
10,000 (1816)
(2043)
(2270)
(2497)
(2724)
(1816)
(2270)
(2270) (2497)
(2724)
(3405)
(295 1)
(3632) (2724)
(3405)
(295
1)
(3632)
(3 178)
(3632)
(4540)
4-30