1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE engine overheat

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Q: Are there some things I should not do when
driving down
a hill?
A: Yes! These are important because if you
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ignore them 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). This is called “free-wheeling.” Your
brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.
Q: Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A: It’s much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
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a
it happens going downhill, here’s what to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.
Shift to PARK (P) 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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Making Turns
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.
nrn Signals When Towing a Trailer
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.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If you have an automatic transmission you should use
THIRD
(3) (or, as you need to, a lower gear) when
towing a trailer. Operating your vehicle in THIRD
(3)
when towing a trailer will minimize heat buildup and
extend the life of your transmission.
When towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn
your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in
PARK (P) for a
few minutes before turning the engine off. If you do
get the overheat warning, see “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Overheating (Gasoline Engine)
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel. If your vehicle
has a diesel
engine, see “Engine Overheating” in the Diesel
Engine Supplement.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
A CAUTION:
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Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay
away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there
is no sign of steam or coolant before
opening the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
I NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a €ittle too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-’speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer. See “Driving on Grades” in the Index.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or
so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (a) or
DRIVE
(3) for automatic transmissions. If
you no
longer have the overheat warning, you
can drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes. If the warning doesn’t come back on,
you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still
no sign of steam, push the accelerator until
the engine speed is about twice as fast as normal idle
speed. Bring the engine speed back to normal idle speed
after two or three minutes. Now
see if the warning stops.
But then, if you still have the warning,
turn offthe
engine
and get everyone out of the vehicle until it
cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at or above the COLD mark, add a
50/50 mixture
of clean
water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL”
(orange-colored, silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant
recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant”
in the Index for
more information.)
Adding only plain water to your cooling 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 antifreeze.
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mix.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1 A CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol and it
will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at or
above the
COLD mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing
you can try. You can add the proper coolant mix
directly to the radiator, but be sure the cooling system is
cool before you do it.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine For four-door utility models equipped with an
underbody spare tire carrier, follow these instructions to
restore a spare or flat tire:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Lay the tire on the ground at the rear of the vehicle.
Position the tire
so that the valve stem is pointed
down and to the rear of the vehicle.
Tilt the retainer downward and through the wheel
opening. Make sure that the retainer is fully seated
across the underside of the wheel.
Attach the ratchet, with the UP mark facing you,
near the hook at the end
of the jack handle. Insert the
other end, on an angle, through the hole in the rear
bumper and into-the hoist shaft.
Raise the tire fully against the underside
of the
vehicle. Continue turning the ratchet until there are
two “clicks” or “ratchets.” The spare tire hoist
cannot be over-tightened.
Grasp and push against the tire to be sure it is stored
securely and does not move.
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help
you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
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I A CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured. And,
the transmission or other parts
of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re stuck, spin the wheels as little
as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with new
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored, silicate-free) engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to remain in your
vehicle for
5 years or 100,000 miles (166 000 km),
whichever occurs first.
The following explains your cooling system and how
to add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant for
your vehicle will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 265 “F (129 ” C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning gages work as they should.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant it is important that you use
DEX-COOL (orange-colored, silicate-free)
coolant meeting
GM Specification 6277111.
If silicated coolant is added to the system,
premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion may result. In addition, the engine
coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first.
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