1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN transmission

Shifting from 4HI to 2HI
Press and release the 2HI switch. This can be done at
any speed, and the system will unlock automatically.
Shifting from 2HI or 4HI to 4LO
To shift from 2HI or 4HI to 4L0, the vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than 3 mph (4.8
km/h) with the
transmission in NEUTRAL
(N). The preferred method
for shifting into 4LO is to have your vehicle moving 1 to
2 mph (1.6 to 3.2
km/h). Press and release the 4LO
switch. You must wait for the 4LO indicator light to stop
flashing and remain illuminated before shifting your
transmission into gear.
If the 4LO switch is pressed when your vehicle is in
gear and/or moving, the 4LO indicator light will flash
for 30 seconds and not complete the shift unless your
vehicle is moving slower than 3 mph (4.8
km/h) and the
transmission is in NEUTRAL
(N).
Shifting from 4LO to 4HI or 2HI
To shift from 4LO to 4HI or 2H1, your vehicle must be
stopped
or moving less than 3 mph (4.8 km/h) with the
transmission in NEUTRAL
(N). The preferred method
for shifting out of
4LO is to have your vehicle moving
1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2
km/h). Press and release the 4HI
switch. You must wait for the 4HI indicator light to stop
flashing and remain illuminated before shifting your
transmission into gear.
If the 4HI switch is pressed when your vehicle is in gear
and/or moving, the
4HI indicator light will flash for
30 seconds but will not complete the shift unless the
vehicle is moving slower than 3 mph (4.8
km/h) and the
transmission is in NEUTRAL
(N).
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Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transmission. You may find
it difficult to pull the
shift lever out
of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat. To find out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK
(P)” in the Index.
When you
are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK
(P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so
you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your vehicle has a brake-transmission shift interlock
system. You have
to fully apply your regular brakes
before you can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition
is in RUN. See “Automatic Transmission” in the Index.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way up
into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then,
move the shift lever into the gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift out
of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift the vehicle to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Have the brake-transmission shift interlock system
fixed as soon as you can.
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Qt What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about
to stall, and
I can’t make it up the hill?
A: If this happens, there are some things you should
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do, and there are some things you must not do.
First, here’s what you
should do:
Push the brake pedal
to stop the vehicle and keep it
from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking brake.
If your engine is still running, shift the transmission
to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly back down
the hill in REVERSE (R).
If your engine has stopped running, you’ll need to
restart it. With the brake pedal depressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK (P) and restart the engine. Then, shift to
REVERSE
(R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill as straight as possible in
REVERSE (R).
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the
12 o’clock position. This
way, you’ll be able to tell
if your wheels are straight
and maneuver as
you back down. It’s best that you
back down the hill with your wheels straight rather
than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel
too far to the left or right will increase the possibility
of a rollover.
Here are some things you
must not do if you stall, or are
about to stall, when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) to “rev-up” the engine and regain
forward momentum. This won’t work. Your vehicle
will roll backwards very quickly and you could go
out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the
vehicle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift to
REVERSE
(R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back straight down.
0 Never attempt to turn around if you are about to stall
when going up a hill. If the hill is steep enough to
stall your vehicle, it’s steep enough to cause you to
roll over if you turn around. If you can’t make it up
the hill, you must back straight down the hill.
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@ Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the
hill and decide
I just can’t do it. What should
I do?
A: Set the parking brake, put your transmission in
PARK (P) and turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit on the uphill
side and stay clear of the path the vehicle would
take if it rolled downhill.
Do not shift the transfer
case to
NEUTRAL (N) when you leave the vehicle.
Leave it in some gear.
A CAUTIG1.I:
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Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N) can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the transmission
is in PARK
(P). This is because the
NEUTRAL
(N) position on the transfer case
overrides the transmission.
If you are going to
leave your vehicle, set the parking brake and
shift the transmission to PARK
(P). But do not
shift the transfer case to the NEUTRAL
(N)
position. Leave the transfer case in the 2 Wheel, 4
High or 4 Low position.
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Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A: Yes! These are important because if you
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ignore them you could lose control and have a
serious accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take
you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that’s not too
steep to drive down may
be too steep to drive across.
You could roll over if you don’t drive straight down.
Never
go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N). This is called “free-wheeling.” Your
brakes will have to
do all the work and could
overheat and fade.
&= Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A: It’s much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
it happens going downhill, here’s what
to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Shift to PARK (P) and, while still braking, restart
Apply
the parking brake.
the engine.
0 Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.
If the engine won’t start, get out and get help.
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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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A CAUTION:
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on
a steep downhill slope.
’ A CAUTION:
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Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle
in gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transmission, and you can climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special problems. Examples
are long grades,
passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area
or winding roads. Be alert to these and take
appropriate action.
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If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
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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 less than the capacity stamped on your step
bumper. You should always use a sway control if
your trailer will weigh more than the capacity
stamped on your step bumper. 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 tow
in OVERDRIVE
(@). 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). Three important
considerations have to do with weight:
the weight of the trailer,
0 the weight of the trailer tongue
0 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.
Use the following chart to determine how much your vehicle
can weigh, based upon your vehicle model and options.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming the
driver and
one passenger are in the tow vehicle and it
has all the required trailering equipment. The weight
of
additional optional equipment, passengers and cargo in
the tow vehicle must be subtracted from the maximum
trailer weight.
Above the
2,000 lbs. (908 kg) trailer rating, the engine
oil cooler is required on
C/K-1500 and C/K-2500
models. Refer to the Trailering Guide for oil
cooler recommendations.
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