Page 2 of 375

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The 1996 Chevrolet  S-Series  Owner’s  Manual 
Seats  and  Restraint  Systems ............................................................. 1-1 
. This  section  tells  you  how to use  your  seats  and  safety  belts  properly.  It  also  explains  the\
 “SIR’ system. 
FeaturesandControls .................................................................. 2-1 
Comfort  Controls  and  Audio  Systems ..................................................... 3-1 
This  section  explains  how  to  start  and  operate  your  vehicle. 
This  section  tells  you  how  to  adjust  the  ventilation  and  comfo\
rt  controls  and  how 
to operate  your 
audio  system. 
Here  you’ll  find  helpful  information  and  tips  about  the  road\
  and  how  to  drive  under  different  conditions. 
This  section  tells 
you what  to  do  if  you  have  a  problem  while  driving,  such  as  a  flat  tire  or  overheated 
engine,  etc. 
Here  the  manual  tells 
you how  to  keep  your  vehicle  running  properly  and  looking  good. 
This  section  tells 
you when to perform  vehicle  maintenance  and  what  fluids  and  lubricants  to  u\
se. 
This  section  tells 
you how to contact  Chevrolet  for  assistance  and  how  to  get  service  publica\
tions. 
It 
also gives  you  information on “Reporting  Safety  Defects” on page 8-8. 
Here’s an alphabetical  listing of almost  every  subject  in this manual. You can  use  it  to  quickly  find 
something 
you want  to  read. 
YourDrivingandtheRoad .............................................................. 4-1 
ProblemsontheRoad .................................................................. 5-1 
Service  and  Appearance  Care ............................................................ 6-1 
Maintenanceschedule........ .......................................................... 7-1 
Customer  Assistance  Information ........................................................ 8-1 
Index ........................................................................\
........ 9-1 
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        Page 64 of 375
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Coolant  Heater (Option) 
“VORTEC” 4300 Engine 2.2L Engine 
In  very  cold weather, 
0°F (- 18°C)  or colder, the engine 
coolant heater can help.  You’ll get easier starting  and 
better  fuel economy  during engine  warm-up.  Usually, 
the  coolant heater should  be plugged 
in a minimum of 
four  hours  prior to starting  your  vehicle. 
To use the  coolant  heater: 
1. Turn  off the  engine. 
2. Open  the  hood  and  unwrap the  electrical  cord. 
3. Plug it into a normal,  grounded 110-volt AC outlet. 
1 
Plugging  the  cord  into  an  ungrounded  outlet 
could  cause  an electrical  shock.  Also, the  wrong 
kind 
of extension  cord  could.overheat  and  cause 
a  fire. 
You could  be  seriously  injured.  Plug  the 
cord  into 
a properly  grounded  three-prong 
110-volt 
AC outlet. If the  cord  won’t reach,  use a 
heavy-duty  three-prong  extension  cord  rated  for 
at least 
15 amps. 
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        Page 68 of 375
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine FIRST (1): This position  gives you even  more  power 
(but  lower  fuel  economy) than 
SECOND (2). You can 
use it on very  steep hills, or in deep  snow  or mud. If the 
selector lever 
is put in FIRST (1) while  the  vehicle is 
moving  forward,  the  transmission  won’t  shift  into 
FIRST (1) until  the  vehicle  is  going slowly enough. 
1 NOTICE: 
If your  rear wheels  can’t  rotate,  don’t  try  to 
drive.  This  might  happen  if you  were  stuck  in 
very  deep  sand  or  mud  or  were up  against 
a solid 
object. 
You could  damage  your  transmission. 
Also, if  you  stop  when going  uphill,  don’t  hold 
your  vehicle  there with only the  accelerator  pedal. 
This  could  overheat  and  damage  the  transmission. 
Use  your  brakes  or  shift  into 
PARK (P) to hold 
your vehicle  in  position  on a hill. 
Manual Transmission 
5-Speed 
This is your shift pattern. 
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        Page 76 of 375
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking  Brake 
To set  the  parking brake,  hold the regular brake pedal 
down  with  your right  foot. Push  down the parking  brake 
pedal  with  your left foot. If the  ignition  is  on, the brake 
system  warning  light will  come  on. 
To release the parking  brake  hold  the regular brake 
pedal  down. 
lr Pull the BRAKE RELEASE 
lever.  It  is located on  the 
bottom  driver’s side  of 
the 
instrument panel. 
I NOTICE: 
Driving  with  the  parking  brake  on  can  cause 
your  rear  brakes  to  overheat.  You  may  have  to 
replace  them,  and  you  could  also damage  other 
parts 
of your  vehicle. 
If  you  are towing  a trailer and you must park on a  hill, 
see  “Towing  a Trailer”  in  the  Index.  That section  shows 
what  to  do  first 
to keep the trailer from  moving. 
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        Page 78 of 375

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Leaving Your Vehicle With the  Engine 
Running  (Automatic  Transmission 
Models 
0 lv) 
@ Move  the  lever up as far  as it will  go. 
3. If you have  four-wheel  drive with a manual  transfer 
case  shift  lever,  be  sure the  transfer  case is  in 
a drive 
gear 
-- not  in  NEUTRAL (N). 
4. Turn  the  ignition key to LOCK. 
5. Remove the key  and  take it with you. If you can 
remove the  key from 
your ignition,  your  vehicle  is 
in PARK (P). 
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. If  you  have  four-wheel 
drive  with 
a manual  transfer  case shift  lever  and 
your  transfer  case is in  NEUTRAL 
(N), your 
vehicle  will be free  to  roll, even 
if your  shift  lever, 
is  in  PARK  (P). 
So be  sure  the  transfer  case is in a 
drive  gear -9 not  in  NEUTRAL (N). 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. 
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        Page 108 of 375

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine  Coolant  Temperature  Gage 
This gage  shows  the engine 
coolant temperature. 
If 
the  gage  pointer moves into 
the  red  area,  your engine  is 
260 too hot! 
TEMP 
Malfunction  Indicator  Lamp 
(Service  Engine  Soon  Light) 
Your  vehicle  is equipped 
with a computer  which 
monitors  operation  of the 
fuel, ignition  and  emission 
SERVICE 
ENGINE 
SOON 
control systems. 
It  means  that  your engine coolant  has overheated.  If  you 
have  been  operating your  vehicle  under  normal  driving 
conditions,  you should  pull  off  the road, stop  your 
vehicle  and  turn off 
the engine  as  soon  as  possible. 
In  “Problems  on  the Road,”  this manual  shows you 
what 
to do.  See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.  This 
system  is  called 
OBD I1 (On-Board 
Diagnostics-Second  Generation)  and  is  intended 
to assure 
that  emissions  are  at  acceptable  levels  for  the  life  of the 
vehicle,  helping  to produce  a cleaner  environment. 
(In 
Canada, OBD I1 is  replaced  by Enhanced  Diagnostics.) 
The  SERVICE  ENGINE  SOON  light  comes  on  to 
indicate  that  there  is  a problem  and  service 
is required. 
Malfunctions  often  will  be  indicated  by the  system  before 
any  problem  is  apparent,  which  may  prevent  more  serious 
damage  to  your  vehicle.  This  system 
is also  designed  to 
assist  your  service  technician 
in correctly  diagnosing 
any  malfunction. 
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        Page 153 of 375

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving  Downhill 
When off-roading  takes  you downhill, you’ll  want  to 
consider a number 
of things: 
How  steep is the downhill?  Will I be able to  maintain 
vehicle  control? 
0 What’s the surface  like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery? 
0 Are  there  hidden  surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs? 
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel? 
Boulders? 
0 What’s  at the  bottom of the hill? Is there  a hidden 
creek bank 
or even a river bottom  with  large rocks? 
If you decide  you can go down a  hill  safely,  then  try  to 
keep  your  vehicle  headed  straight down,  and  use  a low 
gear.  This way,  engine drag  can  help  your  brakes  and 
they  won’t  have  to do all the work. Descend  slowly, 
keeping  your  vehicle  under  control at all  times. 
I 
’ CAUF3N: 
Heavy  braking  when  going  down  a  hill  can  cause 
your  brakes  to  overheat  and  fade.  This  could 
cause  loss  of  control  and  a  serious  accident. 
Apply  the  brakes  lightly  when  descending  a 
hill  and  use  a  low  gear  to keep  vehicle  speed 
under  control. 
1 
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        Page 154 of 375

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Are  there some things I should  not  do  when 
driving  down  a hill? 
A: Yes!  These are important  because if you  ignore  them 
a 
a 
you could  lose control  and  have  a serious  accident. 
When  driving downhill, avoid turns  that take you 
across the incline  of the hill. 
A hill  that’s  not too 
steep  to drive down  may be too steep to drive across. 
You  could roll over  if  you don’t drive straight down. 
Never 
go downhill  with the transmission in 
NEUTRAL 
(N), or  with  the clutch pedal depressed 
in  a manual shift.  This is called “free-wheeling.” 
Your  brakes will have  to  do all the  work  and could 
overheat and fade. 
Am I likely  to  stall  when  going  downhill? 
A: It’s  much  more likely to happen going uphill. 
But 
if it  happens going downhill,  here’s  what to do. 
Stop your vehicle  by applying  the regular  brakes. 
Shift to  PARK (P) (or to NEUTRAL  (N) with  the 
Apply the parking brake. 
manual transmission) and, while still braking, restart  the engine. 
Shift back to a low  gear, release the parking brake, 
and drive straight down. 
If  the  engine  won’t  start,  get  out and get help. 
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