1997 CHEVROLET EXPRESS Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Cruise Control (Option)
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot on
the accelerator. This can really help on long trips. Cruise
control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph
(40km/h).
When you apply your brakes,
the cruise control
shuts
off.
I
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can’t drive safely at
a steady speed. So,
~ don’t use your cruise control on winding
’ roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could
lose control. Don’t
use cruise control on slippery roads.
Setting Cruise Control
I
I a CA JTION:
If you leave your cruise control switch on
when you’re not using cruise, you might hit a
button and go into cruise when you don’t want
to.
You could be startled and even lose control.
Keep the cruise control switch
OFF until you
want to use it.
1. Move the cruise control switch to ON.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press in the SET button
at the end
of the lever
and release
it.
4. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then
you apply the brake. This, of course, shuts off
the cruise control. But you don’t need to reset it.
Once you’re going about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more,
you can move the cruise control switch from ON to
R/A (Resume/Accelerate) for about half a second.
You’ll go right back up
to your chosen speed and
stay there.
Remember, if you hold the switch at RIA longer than
half a second, the vehicle will keep going faster
until
you release the switch or apply the brake. So unless you
want to go faster, don’t hold the switch at R/A.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed:
Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher speed.
Push the button at the end
of the lever, then release
the button and the accelerator pedal. You’ll now
cruise at the higher speed.
Move the cruise switch from ON to R/A. Hold it
there until
you get up to the speed you want, and
then release
the switch. To increase your speed in
very small amounts, move the switch to
R/A for less
than half a second. Each time
you do this, your
vehicle will
go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:
Push in the button at the end of the lever until you
reach the lower speed you want,
then release it.
0 To slow down in very small amounts, push the
button
for less than half a second. Each time you
do this, you’ll go 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will slow
down
to the cruise control speed you set earlier.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills,
you may have to step on
the accelerator pedal
to maintain your speed. If the
steepness of the hill causes the vehicle speed to drop
more than
15 mph (9.4 kmh) below the set speed, your
cruise control will automatically disengage. When
going
downhill, you may have to brake or shift to a lower gear
to keep your speed down.
Of course, applying the brake
takes
you out of cruise control. Many drivers find this to
be too much trouble and don’t use cruise control
on
steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal; or
0 Move the cruise switch to OFF.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
Exterior Lamps
Your parking/headlamp switch is on the driver’s side of
your instrument panel.
Your instrument panel dimmer wheel now has
two
detent positions.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When the wheel is turned to full brilliance, and then into
the first detent position, the radio display and PRNDL
display will go to the day mode (full intensity).
This is
known as “parade” mode. The rest
of the I/P
illumination will stay
in the maximum dimming state
(full brilliance dimming). Turning the wheel up one
more detent will activate the interior dome light circuit
(with slightly higher effort).
The dome lights cannot be turned
on by depressing the
dome light switch button, located below the parWhead
lamp switch knob. This switch is a dome lamp off
switch and will only interrupt inputs from the door jamb
switches, inhibiting interior light operation when
depressed. It will not inhibit the light function from
the
I/P dimmer switch.
The delayed entry will allow
you to enter or exit your
vehicle with the lights staying on for about
20 seconds
after the door
is closed or ignition is cycled.
Rotate
the switch knob clockwise to the parking lamp
symbol
to turn on:
0 Parking Lamps
0 Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
0 License Plate Lamps
0 Instrument Panel Lights
Ashtray Lamp
0 Glove Box Lamp
Rotate
the switch knob clockwise again to the master
lighting symbol to turn
on all the lamps listed above as
well as the headlamps.
Rotate the switch counterclockwise to OFF to
turn off
your lamps and lights.
Rotate the thumb wheel
next to the switch knob up to
adjust instrument panel lights. Rotate the thumb wheel
up to
the first notch to return the radio display and
gearshift indicator Vacuum Fluorescence
(VF) display
to full intensity when the headlamps or parking lamps
are
on.
Rotate the thumb wheel up to the second notch to
activate the interior dome lamps.
You can switch your headlamps from high to low beam
by pulling on the turn signalhigh beam lever.
A circuit breaker protects your headlamps. If you have
an electrical overload, your headlamps will flicker
on
and off. Have your headlamp wiring checked right away
if this happens.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Headlamps On Reminder
A tone will sound when your headlamps are turned on
and your ignition is in OFF, LOCK or ACCESSORY.
If
you need to use your headlamps when the ignition
switch is in
OFF, LOCK or ACCESSORY, the tone
can be turned off by turning the thumb wheel next
to
the parking lamp/headlamp switch all the way down.
Daytime Running Lamps (If Equipped)
Daytime Running Lamps (Dm) can make it easier for
others
to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful
in many different driving conditions,
but they can be especially helpful in the short periods
after dawn and before sunset.
The DRL system will make your headlamps come on at
a reduced brightness when:
The ignition is on,
The headlamp switch is off, and
0 The parking brake is released.
If your vehicle was first sold, when new,
in Canada,
your headlamps will come on at reduced brightness.
If your vehicle was first sold, when new, in the United
States, your vehicle may be equipped with DRL.
If your
vehicle has DRL, you
will see the the DRL indicator light
on your instrument panel and your low-beam
headlamps will come on at reduced brightness.
When the DRL are on, only your headlamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps won’t be
on.
Your instrument panel won’t be lit up either.
When it begins to get dark, your
DRL indicator light is a
reminder to
turn your headlamp switch on. The other lamps
that come on
with your headlamps will also come on.
When
you turn off the headlamp switch, the regular
lamps will go
off, and your headlamps will change to
the reduced brightness of DRL.
To idle your vehicle with the engine on and the DRL off,
set the parking brake. The DRL will stay off until you
release
the parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
Dome Lamps
The dome lamps will come on when you open the doors.
You can also turn the dome lamps on by rotating the
thumb wheel, located next to the headlamp knob, all
the way up
to the second notch. In this position, the
dome lamps will remain
on whether the doors are
opened or closed.
2-40

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You can use the DOME OVERRIDE button, located
below the headlamp knob, to set the dome lamps to
automatically come on when the doors are open, or to
remain
off.
To turn the lamps off, push the button once. With the
button
in this position, the dome lamps will remain
off when the doors are open. To return the lamps to
automatic operation, push the button again and return
it
to the “out” position. With the button in this position,
the dome lamps will come on when you open the doors.
Reading Lamps (Option)
If your vehicle has reading lamps, press the button next
to the lamp
to turn the lamp on.
Press the button again to turn the lamp off.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Underhood Reel Lamp (Option)
If you have an underhood reel lamp, it is located on the
passenger side
of the engine compartment. The lamp can
be switched on without unreeling the cord. Also, you
can use it as a flashlight.
To use the lamp as a flashlight, pull down on the lever
located under the lamp, unlocking the lamp and pull the
lamp out. The cord will unreel as you pull the lamp.
When you are done using the lamp, reel the cord back
into the housing by turning the handle.
Then, slide the lamp into the holder and press the lever
marked
PUSH at the bottom of the holder to lock into
the slot.
2-42

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Mirrors
Inside Mirror
Push or pull the tab under
the mirror to red1 Jce glare
from headlamps behind you after dark.
Outside Mirrors
Adjust your outside mirrors so you can just see the
side of your vehicle, and have a clear view
of objects
behind
you. Some mirrors can be folded in to enter
narrow doorways.
Electric Outside Rearview Mirrors (Option)
If you have electric mirrors, they can be adjusted to
point where you want from inside the vehicle. Select
the mirror you want
to move
by rotating the
switch clockwise to adjust
the passenger side mirror
and counterclockwise
to adjust the driver side
mirror. The center
position is neutral.
Then, adjust the mirror angle by pressing the outer
arrows on the switch until the mirror is adjusted where
you want
it.
Your electric outside
rearview mirrors can be
defrosted by pressing the
switch next
to the heater
controls. (See "Comfort
Controls" in the Index).
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