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Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or
too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on a freeway
as a passing lane.
At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway.
If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin
to
check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try
to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder as often
as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the. lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
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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
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re
a good deal
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.
Making Turns
I 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.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring and a heavy-duty turn signal flasher (included
in
the optional trailering package).
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.
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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.
You should use THIRD (3) 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.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on
a hill. Tf 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
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK
(P) yet. Then turn your wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake and shift into PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
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Trailer Wiring Harness
The light duty trailer wiring is a six-wire harness
assembly. The optional heavy duty trailer wiring is an
eight-wire harness assembly. The harnesses are stored
under the vehicle, on the driver’s side corner frame
crossmember. The heavy duty trailer wiring
has a
30-amp feed wire with an inline fuse located by the
junction block. See “Fuses and Circuit Breakers”
in the
Index. Both harnesses have no connector and should be
wired by a qualified electrical technician. The technician
can use the following color code chart when connecting
the wiring harness to your trailer.
0 DARK BLUE: Use for electric trailer brakes or
auxiliary wiring.
0 RED: Use for battery charging; it connects to the
starter solenoid (eight-wire harness only).
0 LIGHT GREEN: Back-up lamps (eight-wire
harness only).
BROWN: Taillamps and parking lamps.
YELLOW: Left stoplamp and turn signal.
DARK GREEN: Right stoplamp and turn signal.
WHITE (Heavy Gage): Ground wire.
WHITE (Light Gage): Auxiliary stoplamp.
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 doesn’t bend or break, but
not
so loose that it drags on the ground. Store the
harness
in its original place. Wrap the harness together
and tie
it neatly so it won’t be damaged.
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1 Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you'll filld what to do about some problems that
can occur
on the road.
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal
lamps will flash on and off.
Press the button on top of
the steering column all the
way down
to make your
front and rear turn signal
lamps flash on and
off.
Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key is
in, and even if the key isn't in.
To turn off the flashers, press the button until the first
click and release.
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When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn
signals won’t work. The flashers will stop if you step on
the brake.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side
of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use another
vehicle and
some jumper cables to start your vehicle. But
please use the following steps
to do it safely.
I NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
Do not try to start your vehicle by pushing or
pulling it. This could damage your vehicle and
it won’t start that way. Batteries can hurt
you. They can be
dangerous because:
0 They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
0 They contain enough electricity to
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt you.
burn
you.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
I NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
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Front Turn Signal Lamps
1. Remove the headlamp assembly.
2. Reach down and behind the turn signal lamp assembly.
4. Holding the base of the bulb, pull the bulb straight
out
of the socket.
5. Push the new bulb into the socket until it clicks.
6. Put the socket back into the turn signal lamp
assembly and
turn it clockwise until it locks in place.
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp
1. Remove the two screws.
2. Pull the lamp assembly out.
3. Turn the socket counterclockwise and pull it out.
3. Turn the socket counterclockwise and pull it out.
I 4. Holding the base of the bulb, pull the bulb straight
out
of the socket.
5. Reverse the steps to install a new bulb.
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Fuse/Circuit Usage Breaker
6 Blower Motor, Temperature Door
Motor, HI Blower Relay Coil
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Power Auxiliary Outlets, Assembly
Line Diagnostic Link
Rear Window Defogger
PCM/VCM Battery, ABS Battery
PCM/VCM Ignition, Injectors, Crank
Sensor, Coil Driver Module
Radio, Inside Rearview Mirror Map
Lamp, Overhead Console Reading
Lamps, Rear Wiper, Rear Washer,
Overhead Console Display
DRAC, Anti-Lock Braking System,
Clock, Radio, Battery,
CD Player
A/C Compressor Battery Feed
Daytime Running Lamps,
Fog Lamps,
Fog Lamp Relay
VCM
IGN-3
FuseKircuit Usage
Breaker
16
17
19
20
21
22
24
Turn Signals and Back-up Lamps,
Brake-Transmission Shift
Interlock Solenoid
Windshield Washer, Windshield
Wiper Motor
Not Used
Crank Signal, Air Bag System
Cluster Illumination, Radio
Illumination, Heater Lamp, Chime
Module,
Fog Lamp Illumination,
Rear Wiper Switch, Rear Defog
Switch Illumination, Liftglass Release
Switch Illumination, Overhead
Console Illumination
Air Bag System
PRNDL Power, 4L60E Automatic
Transmission
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