
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A
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What’s the worst time for this’? “Wet ice.“ Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard
to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because
it may offer the
least traction
of all. You can get wet ice when it’s about
freezing
(32°F; OOC) and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there. Whatever
the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
-- drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try
not to break the fragile traction. If
you accelerate too fast. the drive wheels will spin and
polish the surface under the tires even more.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Recreational Vehicle Towing (Except Four-wheel Drive
With
Manual Shift Transfer Case) Loading
Your Vehicle
Vehicles
with two-wheel drive or the optional electronic
shift transfer case require special modifications before
they can be towed in this manner. Please contact your
dealer
for the towing information that is appropriate for
your particular vehicle.
Vehicles with all-wheel drive
(AWD) can not be towed
in this manner.
The Certificationflire label is found on the driver’s door
edge, above the
door latch. The label shows the size of
your original tires and the inflation pressures needed to
obtain the gross weight capacity of your vehicle. This is
called the
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The
GVWR includes the weight of the vehicle. all occupants,
fuel, cargo and trailer tongue weight, if pulling a trailer.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
a
a
a
a
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig
will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control if your trailer
will
weigh 2,000 lbs. (900 kg) or less. You should always
use
a sway control if your trailer will weigh more
than
2,000 lbs. (900 kg). You can ask a hitch dealer
about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle
or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that you
tow
a trailer, don‘t drive over 50 mph (80 kmh) and
don’t make starts
at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts
of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
If you have an automatic transmission, you can use
DRIVE
(D) (or. as you need to, a lower gear) when
towing
a trailer. Operating your vehicle in
DRIVE (D) when towing a trailer will minimize heat
buildup and extend the life
of your transmission. If
you have a manual transmission and you are towing
a trailer, it’s better not to use FIFTH (5) gear. Just
drive
in FOURTH (4) gear (or, as you need to, a
lower gear).
Three important considerations have
to do with weight:
0 the weight of the trailer,
the weight of the trailer tongue
and the weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends
on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed. altitude, road grades. outside
temperature and how much your vehicle
is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment that
you have on your vehicle.
The following chart shows how much your trailer can
weigh, based upon your vehicle model and options.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A B
If you’re using a weight-carrying hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 10 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight
(B). If you’re using a weight-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 12 percent of
the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately,
to see if the weights are
proper.
If they aren‘t, you may be able to get them right
simply
by moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle‘s tires are inflated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the
CertificationRire label
on the driver’s door edge, above
the
door latch, or see ‘.Tire Loading” in the Index. Then
be sure
you don’t go over the GVW limit for your
vehicle, including the weight
of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are
a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
If you‘ll be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will
weigh more than
2,000 lbs. (900 kg), be sure to use a
properly mounted, weight-distributing hitch and
sway control
of the proper size. This equipment is
very important for proper vehicle loading and good
handling when you’re driving.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving with a Trailer
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:
Have your exhaust system inspected for
leaks, and make necessary repairs before
starting on your trip.
0 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 A/C because it only recirculates the
air inside your vehicle. (See b‘ Comfort
Controls”
in the Index.) 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 braking 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 12. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
-0
A
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. See “Roadside Assistance” in
the index.
If your vehicle has been changed since it was
factory-new by adding things like fog lamps, aero
skirting,
or special tires and wheels, these instructions
may not be correct.
Before
you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
e Whether your vehicle has rear-wheel drive,
four-wheel drive
or all-wheel drive.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can move the shift lever for the
transmission and shift the transfer
case, if you
have one.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let
the tow operator
know that this manual contains these towing
instructions.
The operator may want to see them.
5-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When
the clutch
is engaged, the fan spins faster to provide
more air
to cool the engine. In most everyday driving
conditions, the clutch
is not engaged. This improves
fuel economy and reduces fan noise. Under heavy
vehicle loading, trailer towing and/or high outside
temperatures. the fan speed increases when the clutch
engages.
So you may hear an increase in fan noise. This
is normal and should
not be mistaken as the
transmission slipping or making extra shifts.
It is merely
the cooling system functioning properly. The
fa11 will
slow down when additional cooling is not required and
the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the
engine.
It will go away as the fan clutch disengages.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It's unusual for a tire to "blow out" while you're driving.
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it's much Inore likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have ;I "blowout." here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails. the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer
to maintain lane position. and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout. particularly on a curve. acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you'd use in a
skid. In any rear blowout. remove your foot from the
xcelerator pedal. Get the \,chicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
\.cry bunlpy and noisy. but you can still steer. Gently
brake
to a stop -- well off the road if possible.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts
of your vehicle.
Don‘t use your compact spare on other vehicles
And
don’t mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won‘t fit. Keep your spare
tire and
its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t tit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle and can damage
the chains too. Don’t use tire chains on your
compact spare.
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.
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 kmh) as shown
on the speedometer.
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