Page 173 of 386

An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding
the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer
quickly, and
just
as quickly straighten the wheel once you’have
’ avoided the object,
The fact
that such emergency situations are always
possible
is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
YOU may find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped
off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you’re driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease
off the
accelerator and then, if there
is nothing in the way, steer so
that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn until the
right front
tire contacts the pavement edge. Then tum your
steering wheel to
go straight down the roadway.
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Page 219 of 386
HOW to Add Coolant to the Radiator
i'l (V6 Engine Only)
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap, but now push
down
as you turn it. Remove the pressure cap.
1. You can remove the rachator pressure cap when the
cooling system, including ,&e radiator pressure cap Bnd
upper radiator hose,
is no longer hot. Turn the pressure
cap slowly counterclockwise until
it first stops. (Don't
press down while turning the pressure cap.)
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means '
there is still some pressure left.
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Page 222 of 386
How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
(V8 Engine Only)
NOTICE:
The LTl Engine (Code P) has a specific radiator
fill procedure. Failure to follow this procedure
could cause your engine to overheat and be
severely damaged.
<
I
1. You can remove the radiator pressure cap when the
cooling system, including the radiator pressure cap and upper radiator hose, is
no longer hot. Turn the pressure
cap slowly counterclockwise until it first stops. (Don’t
press down while turning the pressure cap.)
.
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means
there is still some pressure left.
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Page 227 of 386
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you’ll need is in the right (passenger)
rear area behind the trim panel.
First you must remove the close-out panel. See
“Close-Out Panel” in the Index.
On convertible models, you must also remove the
convertible top protection panel. It’s at
the upper back
the trunk. Turn the two screw
knobs under the trunk
edge a quarter turn left (counterclockwise) to remove
the panel.
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change
a tire.
i
of
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Page 231 of 386
Each wheel has one locknut in place of the standard
wheel nut.
A special wheel lock key (removal tool) and
instructions are located in the center console. Attach
the wheel lock key to the socket
of the wheel wrench.
Remove the locking wheel nut by turning
counterclockwise.
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Page 234 of 386
4. Raise the vehicle by rotating the wheel wrench
clockwise. Raise the vehicle
far enough off the ground
SO there is enough room for the spare tire to fit.
Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
5. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
A CAUTION:’
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rust or
dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches to the vehicle. In an
emergency, you can use
a cloth or a paper towel
to do
this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later,
if you need to, to get all the rust or
dirt off.
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Page 236 of 386
7. Lower the vehicle by rotating the wheel wrench
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.
a. Tighten the wheel
nuts firmly in a
criss-cross sequence
as shown.
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to become loose
and even come
off. This could lead to an accident.
Be sure to 'use the correct wheel nuts.
If' you have
to replace them, be sure to get new
GM original
equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere
as soon as you can and have the
nuts tightened with a torque wrench to
100 lb-ft
(140 Nom).
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Page 246 of 386
Gasoline vapor is highly flammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don’t smoke if you’re near gasoline or refueling
your vehicle. Keep sparks, flames, and smoking
materials away from gasoline.
To take off the cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise).
I
n
If you get gasoline on yourself’ and then
something ignites
it, you could be badly burned.
Gasoline can spray out
on you if you open the
fuel filler cap
too quickly. This spray can happen
if your tank
is nearly full, and is more likely in
hot weather. Open the fuel filler cap slowly and
wait for any “hiss” noise to stop. Then unscrew
the cap all the
way.
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