1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN check engine

Check Gages Light Headlamp High-Beam Indicator Light
CHECK
GAGES
This light will come on
briefly when you are
starting the engine. The
high-beam indicator is
on whenever you use your
high-beam headlamps. For
more details about high
beams, see “Headlamp
HighLow Beam Changer”
earlier in this section.
If the light comes on and stays on while
YOU are driving, Turn Signal and Lane Change
it could indicate a problem with your vehicle. It could be
a problem with your oil pressure, coolant temperature,
or some other problem. Check your various gages
to see
signal a turn
or lane change.
vehicle serviced right
away. come on whenever
you
if they are in the warning zones. If they are, have your The signal indicator
will
See “Turn Signal and Lane
Change Indicator” earlier in
Indicator Lights
this section.
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Understanding Radio Reception
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound. But FM signals
will reach only about
10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with
FM signals, causing
the sound to come and go.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other.
AM can pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it.
Tips About Your Audio System
Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable
until it is too late. Your hearing can adapt to higher
volumes
of sound. Sound that seems normal can be loud
and harmful to your hearing. Take precautions by
adjusting the volume control on your radio to a safe
sound level before your hearing adapts to it.
To help avoid hearing loss or damage:
Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.
Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably
and clearly.
NOTICE:
Before you add any sound equipment to your
vehicle
-- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone or two-way radio
-- be sure you can add
what you want.
If you can, it’s very important to
do it properly. Added sound equipment may
interfere with the operation of your vehicle’s
engine, Delco radio or other systems, and even
damage them. Your vehicle’s systems may
interfere with the operation
of sound equipment
that has been added improperly.
So, before adding sound equipment, check with
your dealer and be sure to check Federal rules
covering mobile radio and telephone units.
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Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot
of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You may
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on. This is normal.
ANTI -
LOCK
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” in
the Index.
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Here are some things you can check before a trip:
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Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever. There is something about an easy stretch
of road with the
same scenery, along with the hum of the tires
on the road,
the drone of the engine, and the rush of
the wind against
the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it happen
to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in
less
than a second,
and you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
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Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving, Scan the road ahead
and
to the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If
you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take
a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.
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Hill and Mountain Roads If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable. (See “Off-Road
Driving” in the Index for information about driving
off-road.)
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.
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You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
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Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it or smell it,
so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open
a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will help
keep
CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps
the
battery (or batteries) charged. You will need a
well-charged battery (or batteries) to restart the vehicle,
and possibly for signaling later on with your headlamps.
Let the heater
run for awhile.
If you have a diesel engine,
you may have to run it at a
higher speed to get enough heat. Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost all the way to preserve
the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only
when you
feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But
do it as little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you
can. To help keep warm, you can get out
of the vehicle
and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or
so until help comes.
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Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 Ibs. (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brakes -- and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for
the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Your trailer brake system can tap into the vehicle’s
hydraulic brake system only if:
The trailer parts can withstand 3,000 psi
(20 650 kPa) of pressure.
0.02 cubic inch (0.3 cc) of fluid from your vehicle’s
master cylinder. Otherwise, both braking systems
won’t work well. You could even lose your brakes.
The trailer’s brake system will use less than
If everything checks out this far, make the brake tap at
the
port on the master cylinder that sends the fluid to the
rear brakes. But don’t use copper tubing for this. If you
do, it will bend and finally break off. Use steel
brake tubing.
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:
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Have your exhaust system inspected for
leaks, and make necessary repairs before
starting
on your trip.
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 the
recirculation button
or MAX because it
only recirculates the air inside your vehicle.
(See “Comfort Controls”
in the Index.)
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Making ’hms
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
The 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.
When towing a trailer, the 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 kmh) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If you have an automatic transmission, you can tow
in
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0). You may want to
shift the transmission to THIRD
(3) or, if necessary, a
lower gear selection if the transmission shifts too often
(e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions).
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn
your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar
to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK
(P) for a few
minutes before turning the engine off. If you do get the
overheat warning, see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
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