1996 CHEVROLET TAHOE service

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains these towing
instructions. The operator may want to
see them.
I
A CAUTIO! :
To help avoid injury to you or others:
0 Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not
0 Never get under your vehicle after it has
0 Always use separate safety chains on each
being towed.
fully secured.
been lifted
by the tow truck.
side when towing
a vehicle.
- I
A vehicle can fall from a car’carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut
by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
in the off position. The steering wheel should be
clamped in a straight-ahead position, with
a clamping
device designed for towing service.
Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column lock for this. The transmission
and transfer case, if
you have one, should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the drive wheels
unless you must. If the vehicle must be towed
on the
drive wheels, be sure to follow the speed and distance
restrictions later in this section or your transmission will
be damaged. If these limitations must be exceeded, then
the drive wheels have
to be supported on a dolly.
5-7

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.
5-10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The coolant level should be at or above the COLD mark.
If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere else in
the cooling system.
.A CAUTION: I I
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine
if there is a leak. If you run
the engine,
it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and y~u could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
I NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, start the engine again. See
if the
fan speed increases when idle speed is doubled by
pushing the accelerator pedal down. If it doesn’t, your
vehicle needs service. Turn
off the engine.
5-12

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:
n
Delco
6-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to get the proper service manual. It tells
you much
more about how to service your vehicle than this manual
can.
To order the proper service manual, see “Service . .
. and Owner Publications” in the Index.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle” in the Index.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and
the mileage and the date
of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the Index. list
A CAUTION:
You
can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged’if you try
to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
0 Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, and the proper replacement
parts and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task.
0 Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused.
If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall
off. You could be hurt. .
6-2

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Fuel (Gasoline Engine)
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see “Diesel Fuel
Requirements and Fuel System”
in the Diesel Engine
Supplement. For vehicles with gasoline engines, please
read this.
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 on,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 a
may not be covered by your warranty.
In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing
additive called MMT. If you use 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

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When to Change Engine Oil
See if any one of these is true for you:
0
0
0
0
0
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
You operate your vehicle
in dusty areas or
off-road frequently.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil
to
break down sooner. If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then
you need to change your oil and filter
every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs first.
If none of them is true, change the oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle with a
fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil.
(See the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and
disposal of oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment.
If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose of oil
by putting it in the trash, pouring it
on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle it by taking it to a place that collects used oil.
If you have a problem properly disposing
of your used
oil, ask your dealer, a service station or
a local recycling
center for -help.
6-15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Air Cleaner
Your air cleaner is located between the battery and
coolant recovery tank. The
air cleaner assembly
has an indicator that lets
you know when the air
filter is dirty and needs
to be serviced.
The indicator is located in the air intake tube between
the air cleaner and the engine. See “Owner Checks and
Services” in the Index on when to check the indicator.
If
the area inside the clear section of the indicator is
green, no air filter service.is required. When the area
inside the indicator is orange and CHANGE AIR
FILTER appears, the filter should be replaced.