1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE brakes

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down’hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some
of the
slowing down. Shift to’a lower gear when
you go
down a steep or long hill.
b
- -
A CAUTION: I
-
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could
getso hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none going
down
a hill. You could crash. Shift ,down to let
your engine assist your brakes on
a steep
downhill, slope.
A CAUTION:
I
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do
all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have.poor braking or even none going down a
hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle
in gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transmission, and you can. climb
the hill better.
f Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide
or cut
across the center
of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your
own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like
a stalled car or iin accident.
You may see highway signs
on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding
roads. Be
alert to these and take appropriate action.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though
you have an anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. See “Anti-Lock” in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On
an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface
of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see
a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation.
You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that
you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and
your
passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard flashers.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
lky to spread the .weight evenly.
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.
There’s also important loading information for off-road
driving in this manual. See “Loading Your Vehicle’’ in
the Index.
Towing a Trailer
/I -
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine nailer 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 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 The trailer’s brake system will use less than
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.
If everything checks out this far, make the brake tap at
the port on the master cylinder that sends the 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.
If you have a rear-most window open 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
0
0
Have your exhaust system inspected for
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 because it only recirculates the air
inside your vehicle. (See “Comfort
Controls’’ in the Index.)
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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 br’aking 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
.l
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good dea
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.
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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 Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
1 how to do it:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK
(P) yet.
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK (P).
If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure
the transfer case is in a drive gear
-- not in
NEUTRAL
(N).
Release the regular brakes.
1
I A CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even
when you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
If you have four-wheel drive 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 -’- not
in NEUTRAL
(N).
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
0 Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let ,up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
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 qoickly.
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
A seven-wire harness is stored under the rear of your
vehicle, between the frame rails. An electrical connector
will need to be added at the trailer end
of the harness, by
a qualified electrical technician. For additional trailer
wiring and towing information, please consult your
dealer. 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 won’t bind or break
when turning with the trailer, but not
so loose that it
drags on the ground. Store’ the harness in its original
position. Wrap the harness together and tie it neatly
so it
won’t be damaged.
If you tow a trailer, your Center
High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) may not be
properly visible from behind.
You should select a trailer
with a CHMSL on
it or, if one is not available, have one
installed. See your GM dealer about how to connect
your vehicle’s wiring to a trailer CHMSL.
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